Stephen Donnelly (Wicklow, Fianna Fail) | Oireachtas source

I thank the Senator for the questions. On the first question with regard to the expert panel, I can give the Senator a commitment that I am open to whatever works, be that an expert panel, a formal panel, an informal panel, a domestic panel, an international panel and so on. We need to make sure that the chairperson has access to the expertise that is required. That might be partly informed by, for example, the information coming back through phase 1. There will undoubtedly be issues raised. There may be issues of constitutional requirements or with regard to legal requirements in the UK, in which case the chairperson would want to find somebody who could provide that expertise, who we might not put on an initial panel. I am open to it, but more broadly, what I want to give is a commitment that we will facilitate whatever gives the best result. That might be a formal standing panel, an informal panel with a bit of flexibility in terms of being able to add people, etc., or it might just be informal consultation. I am very open to that.

I thank the Senator for her second question. It is an important question in terms of accessibility to the consultation process, be it people living with disabilities, people living with mental health issues or vulnerable groups who would not normally be checking in to statutory public consultation processes. Not only will we make sure that there are efforts made here, this group will be one of the most important groups that are listened to. As we find in healthcare, as in most things in our society, this is the group for whom things do not tend to work. This is the group we need to listen to most carefully in terms of ensuring that the operations are sufficient and meet their needs.