David Cullinane (Waterford, Sinn Fein) | Oireachtas source

We would all have regard to patient safety grounds and the patient safety advice that is given. Again, this is advice that the Minister sought and was given, and I accept that it came in good faith and that he is accepting it in good faith. There is strong pushback from the HSE and the pushback is on patient safety grounds. However, what the amendment is seeking to do is to give the authority to AHRRA to make that decision in regard to the specialists who would be used.

I hear what the Minister is saying. Of course one would want all healthcare professionals to have their accreditation through the Irish Medical Council. That is the optimum. That is what we want. However, in circumstances in which there are limitations in respect of some specialties, I do not think it is outrageous, nor do I think it is trying to get around safeguards or take shortcuts that there could be arrangements with other countries that have very similar standards and guidelines to ours in respect of accreditation. That is where the authority would come in and be able to make that determination. Maybe that is more complicated to do by way of amendments, and maybe our amendments do not fully satisfy what we are trying to achieve here, but this is an issue that has been raised in good faith by professionals with us. I can see the logic in the issue they are raising and I can see that if I or Deputy Shortall were in the Minister's shoes, we would have to have regard to the advice we would get. Any time patient safety grounds are raised, the Minister has to have regard to them. I do not doubt that for one second. I will not press the amendment for that reason. I put faith in the advice I get, and when patient safety is raised, we have an obligation to listen. It would be worthwhile, however, to go back and maybe have a discussion again. There are countries that have similar arrangements in place. We are not saying this should involve countries where the standards are lower or where the accreditation standards are not equivalent to what they are in Ireland. Actually, the word "equivalent" is in our amendment as well.

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