Ulick Burke (Fine Gael)

I agree with some of what the Minister of State has said. However, the national council is a distant body, whereas when the local health boards deal with local Department of Education and Science officials an issue can be dealt with quickly using a hands-on approach. The Minister of State referred to the fact that one body must report to another and report back to the council. All of this takes time, which is of the essence. The Minister of State referred to this, as did the Minister for Health and Children in the Lower House. We will lose time through such a process of reporting from one body to another and on to a third, before waiting for a reaction to coerce the health board into doing something.

When we have to use powers such as these, resistance grows which means that the people in need fall between two stools. If the legislation defers such action into the distance it will cause delay, which can prove crucial in some instances. Therefore, it is regrettable that the Minister of State does not propose to accept the amendment.