Mary Coughlan (Donegal South West, Fianna Fail)

This amendment is to provide legal certainty in regard to what veterinary nurses, who are provisionally registered, may lawfully carry out having regard to other legislation which may impinge on their activities. Section 97 provides a basis for provisionally registering as veterinary nurses, persons who are practising as such, on the date of publication of the Bill. Such persons will be enabled to continue working as veterinary nurses for up to five years while they obtain a requisite qualification.

Concerns were raised with my Department by the Radiological Protection Institute of Ireland about the potential involvement of provisionally registered nurses in taking of X-rays without having the necessary training. Accordingly, this amendment will address this concern by making it clear that in carrying out any function they are subject to any relevant legislation, in this case the Radiological Protection Act 2000, which requires completion of a formal course of training in veterinary radiological techniques and radiological protection measures before operating X-ray equipment.