Mary Harney (Dublin Mid West, Progressive Democrats)

It will do that. That is a matter for the regulatory body. As I said on Committee Stage, I regret the rushed nature of the debate and I accept it is rushed. I accept also that the volume of legislation coming from my Department has been a challenge to the Department, the Parliamentary Counsel, Opposition spokespersons and others. Three large Bills are going through the House and will be enacted before the election. The reality is that this legislation has been a long time in gestation. I gave a commitment and I wanted to honour it. I put my officials and the parliamentary draftsman under enormous pressure to deliver on that commitment because if the legislation is not passed before the Dáil is dissolved it all falls. It would certainly be next year before we would have legislation in this area. Effectively in the pharmacy sector, as far as the society is concerned, we do not have a fitness to practise regime.

However, I must say to Deputy Gormley that I believe we will be back here on 24 April and for some time thereafter. I look forward to coming back as Minister for Health and Children. I know the Deputy told me he did not want to be the Minister, but I do. I draw the attention of all spokespersons on health matters to an article that was given to me today entitled "Global trends in healthcare". It states that there is no country where people do not complain about their health system and where people are not calling for reform. Everyone who is interested in being the Minister for Health and Children should note that the document states: "Ministers of health anywhere in the globe must have done something bad in an earlier life or they would not be condemned to the ministry". Perhaps Deputy Gormley had read that when he said he did not want to be the Minister.

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