Oireachtas Joint and Select Committees

Wednesday, 3 May 2023

Select Committee on Health

Regulated Professions (Health and Social Care) (Amendment) Bill 2022: Committee Stage

Photo of Stephen DonnellyStephen Donnelly (Wicklow, Fianna Fail)
Link to this: Individually | In context | Oireachtas source

With regard to Deputy Colm Burke's point, I will talk to the substance of the concern in a moment but on the amendment itself, it is the timing that is the issue. Yes, I am very happy to do a report and indeed have a committee session on it or do an informal briefing for committee members with the Department. There is a very substantial piece of work going on and the HRB report is one part of it. It is specifically just a timing issue. We will not have that done within 12 weeks of the passing of the Bill. If the Deputy is happy to bear with me, we will keep the committee members informed, do an informal briefing or a formal committee session if that is better. It is just going to take a bit longer than three months after passing the Bill. The advice I have is that we should have something much more substantive, probably coming into the autumn session. Maybe we could schedule a committee hearing and I could organise an informal briefing as well or instead, if members wanted. It is not going to be ready just in the next few months.