Mary Coughlan (Donegal South West, Fianna Fail)

I recognise the concerns which underlie Senators Henry and McCarthy's amendments with regard to trainee vets and nurses who as part of their course of training, in effect, practice veterinary medicine to gain a requisite level of experience specified by the veterinary college. Therefore, I can accept the substance of these amendments and propose new subsections (5) and (6).

The amendment I propose will provide for a number of safeguards as follows. The work done must be under the direct supervision and in the presence of a registered practitioner. The practitioner and the college must be satisfied that the student has the requisite knowledge, skill and competence to do what is being asked, and the work done must relate to the need to gain a level of experience prescribed for the course concerned.

A subsequent amendment arises in section 2 which lists definitions where it is necessary to provide that the definition of an approved programme of education, which is already provided for in section 62, will also apply to approved programmes referred to in section 56(6).