Mary Coughlan (Donegal South West, Fianna Fail)

We are allowing that the council "may" make that decision. I would prefer not to have it stated that the council shall make the decision. There are offences of a criminal nature, such as drink driving, which result in prosecution but which may not interfere with a person's ability to practise as a vet. The council may make the decision and it would be obliged to do so if the offence was serious. No one wants the practice brought into disrepute. In light of the fact that there are so many vets on the council, that would be in the back of their minds and they would not want it to happen. I have given the council flexibility but I would rather not be too prescriptive because there are always individual cases and we must show recourse. People have the opportunity to go court if they do not agree with the sanctions.