Róisín Shortall (Dublin North West, Social Democrats) | Oireachtas source

I thank everybody who has contributed to the debate on this group. The Minister talked about the need for a broader review; I agree with him. That will take some time. We have to allow some time to see the operation of the legislation. His amendment refers to, "the findings of the review and of the conclusions drawn from those findings and cause copies of the report to be laid before each House of the Oireachtas." It then states that, in conducting the review, he will consult with the Minister for Justice. It is right that that kind of broader review that he speaks about should take place. We are looking at a situation where the best case scenario is two years, from what the Minister has set out in his amendment.

There is a need for a specific review and a system of recording, which is required for this legislation to be effective and which does not currently exist. That is why I am saying I do not think we should allow a lengthy lapse of time because we all want this legislation to work. It is really important for people accessing health services and also for people who want to provide the services but where there might be a chilling effect at the moment. It is important that there should be a specific, focused review within a 12-month period because do not want to let things slide for any longer in the event that the system is not working. For that reason, I will press my amendment.

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