Brian Lenihan Jnr (Dublin West, Fianna Fail)

——of the board or the council, include one or more of a list of qualifications outlined. The list of qualifications is not really material to our discussion. However, what is material to it is that we have given power through the council, which is an independent statutory body, to address this issue. There will not be a full stop at departmental level regarding who can be recognised to carry out the assessments. In other words, we have said it is a matter for the principal, the health board or, on ultimate appeal, the council to prescribe whose reports should be recognised.

In the spirit of what the Senator has advocated, I hope the council will have regard to avoiding duplication, which has bedevilled this area. One reason we are establishing the council is precisely to avoid this kind of duplication. I do not know whether, as a statutory exercise, it would be appropriate for us to tie down the council by stating that assessments required pursuant to subsection (1) may be carried out within the public or private sector. From the generality of what is already provided in section 5, it is clear that such assessments can be carried out within the public or private sectors. There is no restriction in the Bill regarding the matter the Senator has raised.