James Reilly (Dublin North, Fine Gael)

Can the House be assured that the advice of the Attorney General has been obtained with regard to the legality of section 11 of the Social Welfare and Pensions (No. 2) Bill 2009, and with respect to section 29 of the contract held by participating dentists and the Minister for Social and Family Affairs, which requires that three months' written notice of termination be issued. We do not want to find ourselves in the same situation with the dentists as we did with the Minister for Health and Children paying out legal fees of nearly €70 million in compensation to pharmacists.

See this speech in context