Alex White (Dublin South, Labour) | Oireachtas source

The absence of a specific commencement date is due to the fact that operational issues will require to be addressed before the Bill can be commenced. For example, under section 11, the Health Service Executive, HSE, needs to establish a panel of medical practitioners for the purpose of the formal medical review provisions in the Bill. This process will entail contacting the relevant bodies seeking and receiving the relevant nominations and appointing the identified medical practitioners.

In addition, under section 12, the HSE must put in place the required administrative facilities that will be necessary to enable the review committee, drawn from the review panel, to perform its functions.

I wish to reassure Members that this is not some sort of delaying tactic as has been suggested by Deputy Boyd Barrett but a necessary provision to ensure all the requirements of the Bill are in place to enable its implementation when it is commenced. For that reason, I do not propose to accept the amendment.

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