Simon Harris (Wicklow, Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

I had hoped that Deputy O'Reilly would be open to my powers of persuasion on this matter before deciding to press the amendment. I believe we have addressed the issue the Deputy wishes to address. There are two parts to this, namely, the composition of the committees and ensuring a shorter timeframe for complaints, which is in everybody's interest. While Deputy O'Reilly's amendment addresses the concern about the composition of preliminary proceedings committees and a fitness to practise committee of the Nursing and Midwifery Board of Ireland, it had been suggested that the Bill, as drafted, could potentially have unintended consequences in the make-up of committees. That concern was brought to the attention of my Department earlier this year and an amendment in my name, which addressed this issue and one other issue, was introduced and agreed on Committee Stage. The composition of committees is dealt with in a number of sections in the Nurses and Midwives Act and I am advised that, when read together with my amendment on Committee Stage, they fully achieve the outcome sought by Deputy O'Reilly.

The amendment I introduced on Committee Stage also addressed the second problem, which the Nursing and Midwifery Board of Ireland had identified. The Bill, as initiated, was applying a new streamlined committee structure to complaints received after the section of the Bill comes into effect. This would not have assisted with processing the complaints already received by the board and it could have taken up to two years before the new structure came into effect. For want of a better phase, we did not want a backlog of complaints building up. Accordingly, the Committee Stage amendment that I introduced applies the new structures to complaints already received but which have not yet progressed to inquiry stage. This approach will ensure that complaints are concluded in a shorter timeframe, which is obviously of benefit to the complainant, registrant, witness and regulator.

I very much appreciate that it is Deputy O'Reilly's sincere intent to address the original issue. However, the amendment, if accepted, would undo the provision which addresses complaints already received when the section takes effect. Accordingly, I cannot support it. I believe I have addressed the concern regarding the composition of the committees with the Committee Stage amendment I brought forward when it is read alongside the Nurses and Midwives Act.

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