Brian Lenihan Jnr (Dublin West, Fianna Fail)

——that the application of an objective standard is necessarily an inherent element of any form of clinical diagnosis in this context and the Tánaiste and Minister for Health and Children is legislating for that. She has indicated, because of the concerns that have been raised, that she is prepared to examine the possibility of recognising, in legislative form, other tests. She will bring forward an amendment in that context. She is also prepared to say that this legislation will not be the last word on what tests can be applied because our state of scientific awareness on any particular medical condition changes and evolves over time. It may well be the case, in years hence, with advances in medical science, that other tests will be devised and she is prepared to provide for their recognition.

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