Mary Harney (Dublin Mid West, Progressive Democrats)

I can confirm that the Bill will be published this year. While significant advances have been made in the legislation, the Department of Health and Children has a huge legislative agenda and clearly some issues have taken priority. The Bill will be published, as will the Medical Council legislation. In advance of the legislation, I have used the Irish Medicines Board legislation to give prescribing rights to nurses. It was intended it would await the nurses Bill but we have gone ahead in advance of it. The Bill will be published and, I hope, debated in the House this year.

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