Denis Naughten (Roscommon-Galway, Independent) | Oireachtas source

With all due respect to the Minister, a former teacher of mine used to say that the road to hell is paved with good intentions. I do not doubt the Minister's intentions but, in my experience, when it is not written in black and white, it does not happen. I am accepting that for a three-month period we are curtailing the right to medical services in the UK. The Minister needs to be given that discretion. I am admitting that curtailment in this amendment and giving the Minister 90 days to provide clarity to us. I do not think it is acceptable for clarity not to be provided within those three months, nor is it acceptable that is it not set out in the legislation that this must be presented to the House so that we can report. I should be in a position to reassure an individual, or their family, who is availing of a medical procedure in the UK that will require continual ongoing care for more than 22 months that they will be able to avail of it. That is the very minimum that we need to provide if this legislation is to do what it proposes. We cannot curtail that right. I am accepting that we are curtailing it for 90 days but we should not be curtailing it for any longer than that while we consider our intention from 31 December 2020. I accept that in respect of many procedures there is plenty of time. For procedures involving a continuing commitment of care for more than 21 months, however, we need to provide clarity now.

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