Liam Twomey (Wexford, Fine Gael)

Previously, we were able to table amendments to legislation the night before Committee Stage of a Bill commenced, but a change was introduced with the effect that Opposition parties are obliged to give seven days notice of their amendments to proposed legislation. That was done to facilitate the proper scrutiny of the Opposition's amendments by the Department involved. The Minister is now introducing Bills and having all Stages passed into legislation within seven days. No opportunity is provided for proper scrutiny. It is possible this Bill contains some grenade which none of us has noticed yet. On occasion, when legislation is given proper scrutiny in this House, concerns are identified.

A significant number of amendments were introduced in the Seanad and the Minister plans to introduce further amendments in this House. It is extremely difficult to properly fulfil our role. With the impending election, our attention may not be fully focused on the work of this House. We would like to think, however, we are still committed to what we were elected to do, namely, to properly scrutinise legislation. The manner in which the Minister is rushing the Bill through the House is unreasonable. Far more time should be provided to go through it.

The regulation issues with which we are dealing are extremely important. The pharmacy profession has been seeking an update of the legislation for years. It sought to have both pharmacy Bills introduced at the one time to provide a comprehensive regulatory system for the pharmacy profession. The Bill has been a long time coming. Significant concerns have been expressed about what is happening here. We are trying to work out exactly what the Minister is doing.

The manner in which we have dealt with legislation in the past week highlights the need for the introduction of a patient safety authority. The HIQA legislation, which was passed by this House last Tuesday night at 9.30 p.m., covered the standards and regulation of nursing homes. The Minister referred to how she will introduce a regulatory body that might decide on whether patients will be valued sufficiently to receive medical treatment in the future.

Committee Stage of the Medical Practitioners Bill was dealt with on Wednesday last. Concern was expressed about ministerial powers and the potential problem with funding for the teaching and specialised training of doctors. This gives rise to the danger that standards in the training of specialties may drop. We are now dealing with the Pharmacy Bill. I am somewhat at a loss as to where this proposed legislation is going. I am generally supportive of the provisions in the Bill, but important issues still require to be teased out. I would have preferred if the Minister had taken her time so we could have discussed it more fully.

I have placed my trust in the Pharmaceutical Society of Ireland that it will do what is right for the future. However, there is a danger we might create more problems for ourselves given the number of concerns that have been raised with the Minister about the way the profession has developed in recent years. One issue that arose when the Bill was in the Seanad was the close connection between the roles of the prescriber and the dispenser in the development of primary care centres and what effect this will have in future. Many amendments arise from those concerns but, equally, other concerns may arise among staff working in the pharmacy profession. Such issues often crop up in the course of proper discussion on proposed legislation in the House. We should take time to reflect on what is happening and make sure we do not make an error.

I support the positive aspects of the Bill. We will need to have a more in-depth discussion of many aspects of it on Committee Stage.

See this speech in context