Tim O'Malley (Limerick East, Progressive Democrats)

Owing to the potentially personal and sensitive issues that might arise in the course of conducting an investigation before a health committee, it is proposed in the Bill that its hearings be held in private, unless the registrant specifically requests otherwise regarding all or part of the hearing. It is accepted that, as is proposed in the case of an inquiry carried out before a professional conduct committee, it is appropriate that there be some checks and balances on a registrant's right to reverse the general principle set out in the Bill, particularly where sensitive personal matters relating to a complaint may be the subject of examination. The content of the proposed amendment from Senator Browne is acceptable, subject to drafting changes required by the Parliamentary Counsel, which I propose to present on Report Stage. In particular, the words "otherwise than" should be deleted from the proposed subsection (b).