Kathleen Lynch (Cork North Central, Labour)

That is okay. It is slightly confusing and very technical.

Amendment No. 7 addresses the committee concerned with midwifery. It clarifies that the committee cannot make binding decisions on the board, as the latter is overarching and has responsibility for nursing and midwifery. A committee of the board - it is not a sub-committee - cannot make decisions by which the board will be bound. There would be no point in having the board were that the case. That clarification is what we hope to achieve with our amendment. Under the amendment, the board must consider the advice provided to it by the committee in respect of all matters pertaining to midwifery practice. The amendment deals with concerns that the board would not take the advice on board. One could not have a committee making decisions that were binding on the board.

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