Mary Coughlan (Donegal South West, Fianna Fail)

I am aware that Senator McCarthy raised this issue on Committee Stage when he outlined his concern about the current wording of the section. I have indicated that it is designed to ensure the public is not misled as a result of a registered person displaying, for example, a title or qualification which he or she does not possess on the signage of his or her premises. However, if a person simply overlooks the registration of a qualification or speciality which is genuinely held, it would simply be a matter for that person to rectify the situation when his or her attention has been drawn to the oversight by the council. Moreover, one cannot envisage a person being subjected to serious disciplinary proceedings in a situation where he or she has failed to register a qualification that he or she actually possesses. Hence, I am not in a position to accept the amendment as I do not think that kind of draconian ideology should be part of the council's work in a case where someone actually possessed a qualification and it was just a mere oversight.