Caoimhghín Ó Caoláin (Cavan-Monaghan, Sinn Fein)

I ask whether the Government has made a decision on the scheduling of Report Stage of the Nurses and Midwives Bill 2010. There is considerable interest in this important legislation, which was one of the two Bills prioritised on the first week of the new Dáil. We have received no indication as of yet when Report Stage will present and I ask the Taoiseach to clarify the matter.

In a reply issued to me last week, the Minister for Health and Children stated that the Government is committed to a review of the Mental Health Act 2001 and indicated that the review would be influenced, guided and formed by human rights standards, which I welcomed. The list of proposed legislation which was circulated last week makes reference to the mental health (amendment) Bill. Is it the intention to proceed with that Bill, which was described as technical in nature, or is the Government holding back on the review of the 2001 Act? I ask the Taoiseach to clarify the intentions of the Government and the Department of Health and Children in this regard.

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