Seán Power (Kildare South, Fianna Fail)

Schedule 3 sets out the qualifications required by existing practitioners to enter their professions. I appreciate the general purpose of the Senators in amendment No. 11 but restricting the membership outlined in Schedule 3 would have the effect of excluding all those practitioners. Restricting the members of the first registration board of each profession to those who hold the qualifications listed in Schedule 3 would be inappropriate as this would exclude all those practitioners who have been in competent practice for some time and who would gain registration through the grandparenting arrangements but would not hold a qualification listed in Schedule 3. Restricting the members of the first registration board of each profession to those who hold the qualifications listed in Schedule 3 would also exclude those practitioners holding a letter of validation under the process set out in the EU directives on the recognition of professional qualifications. I have no doubt, however, that in appointing members to the first registration boards the Minister will endeavour to ensure that such members are appropriately qualified and competent to perform the functions expected of them as members of a registration board and, therefore, I do not propose to accept the Senators' amendment.