Mary Coughlan (Donegal South West, Fianna Fail)

By being so prescriptive, we would remove people who may have an indictable offence that does not affect their fitness to practise as vets. I gave the example of a person who was convicted of drink driving. Should this person be deregistered as a vet? Indictable offences that affect a person's fitness to practise as a vet will, of course, be treated differently. We have to be fair and say that there is no person in this House and this country who may or may not escape any type of impropriety of any sort over their lifetime. We should not punish people for offences which they may have committed but which do not affect their ability to practise as vets. It is on that basis that I prefer to not to be so prescriptive on this issue. There are issues regarding a person's ability within their profession, which will be dealt with by the council. We are all practising politicians who know that people have unfortunate circumstances and I would prefer if we do not tie ourselves into knots because of a conviction which may not impinge upon a person's professional ability.