John Browne (Wexford, Fianna Fail)

Deputies will no doubt be aware that there was considerable discussion about the composition of the council during the passage of the Bill through the Seanad and on Committee Stage in this House. The Minister, Deputy Coughlan, already agreed to adjust the composition of the council to ensure that sufficient veterinary expertise was available, particularly to serve on sub-committees. In order to achieve this, she agreed to an increase of two in the elected veterinary practitioner membership. As regards the amendments being put forward again by Deputies Naughten, Crawford and Upton, the issues concerned were given considerable airing on Committee Stage in this House. As the Minister, Deputy Coughlan, indicated previously, the underlying concerns are already catered for in the Bill as currently formulated.

As regards the welfare constituency which is the subject of two amendments, already there is a critical mass of veterinarians on the council, all of who will, by virtue of their profession, be very mindful of welfare. However, there is also an issue of overall balance involved and I cannot agree to further increase the representation of vets on the council.

As regards consultation with HETAC, the Minister indicated on Committee Stage that this would be examined further. Following this examination we do not believe any change is necessary since the matter of nominating rights beyond the NUI is already catered for in section 16(2) of the Bill. Deputy Naughten instanced a course being run for veterinary nurses in Athlone Institute of Technology, which I understand is in its first year. It would be premature at this stage to include a specific reference to HETAC in the Bill before the course has been accepted by the veterinary council in its role under section 13 as an approver of courses for the purpose of registration. However, if and when this approval is granted, it is likely the Minister will, at that stage, designate HETAC as a nominating body, using her powers under section 16(2) of the Bill.

Deputies Naughten and Crawford, by means of amendment No. 15, also proposed that it be stipulated in section 16(2) that a member of HETAC must be appointed to the council's education committee. Again, I feel this is premature. However, if in due course a nominee of HETAC is appointed to the council, section 16(2) already provides that the person must be on the education committee. As regards Deputy Upton's proposal to specify that the dean of the veterinary faculty must be on the council, as the Minister, Deputy Coughlan, has already indicated on Committee Stage, we do not believe it would be appropriate in primary legislation to prescribe whom a nominating body must nominate. This must be left to the nominating body itself.

As regards the nominee of the Minister for Education and Science, the Government remains of the view that it would not be appropriate to remove this person. Matters relating to training and education, including continuing professional development, are among the most important functions being assigned to the council. In so far as the education sphere is concerned a nominee of the Minister and nominees from the education providers are essential and appropriate. We therefore do not accept the amendments for the reasons I have outlined.

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