Micheál Martin (Cork South Central, Fianna Fail)

The Bill, as drafted, amends sections 24, 25, 33 and 34 of the Principal Act to bring their provisions clearly into line with the European Union directives on the mutual recognition of professional qualifications. These directives were transposed into Irish law by Statutory Instrument No. 1 of 1991 and Statutory Instrument No. 135 of 1996. Sections 6 and 9 of the Bill provide for the registration of optometrists and dispensing opticians who have trained in other member states of the European Union and who are authorised, by virtue of the relevant EU directive, to take up and pursue those professions. Sections 5 and 8 provide for the registration of optometrists and dispensing opticians who have trained in this State and sections 7 and 10 provide for the registration of those who have trained outside the European Union.

The statutory instruments transposing the EU directives concerned use the terminology "has not been declared bankrupt". Accordingly, it has been used in the Bill, as drafted. Having taken the advice of the office of the parliamentary counsel in the matter, I am not in a position to accept the Senator's proposed amendments to sections 5, 7, 8 and 10 which, if accepted, would have the effect of creating a different regime for, on the one hand, optometrists and dispensing opticians whose qualifications have been obtained in this State and outside the European Union and, on the other, those qualified in other member states. My understanding is that the phrase used in the Bill is the one normally used. What the Senator is suggesting might be more appropriate for debate on another occasion in the context of a system wide change.