John Browne (Wexford, Fianna Fail)

Deputy Upton proposes to delete the phrase "the details of which are registered on the Register" from section 56. The Minister, Deputy Coughlan, indicated on Committee Stage that she would reflect further on these issues. Subsequently, she had the matter further examined in the Department in consultation with the Attorney General's office and the Veterinary Council of Ireland. As has already been indicated, the current wording of this section is primarily designed to ensure that the public is not misled as a result of a registered person displaying, for example, on the signage for his or her premises a title or a qualification which he or she does not in reality possess.

Sections 46 and 50 make provision for registration of specialties and additional qualifications where they would be a matter of public record and could assist a member of the public in choosing the best practitioner. It is desirable that letterheads and signage belonging to a practice should match the qualifications registered with the council and that an incentive is provided with a view to ensuring that this is the case. However, as has been said previously, if a person merely overlooks the registered qualification or specialty which that person genuinely holds, it would simply be a matter for him or her to rectify this when attention has been drawn to the oversight by the council. One could not envisage a person being subject to disciplinary proceedings in a situation where he or she has failed to register a qualification which he or she possesses unless that person, having been advised of the oversight, refused to do so. Accordingly, the words which are registered in the register could play an important part in ensuring that the public has accurate information available on which to base the choice of practitioner. The Minister consulted the Veterinary Council of Ireland and the Attorney General's office and both were of the view that the amendment is not required.

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