Fergal Browne (Fine Gael)

Some of the amendments were merely comical and I would hate to debate the merits of this Bill on "Prime Time." In my three and a half years in this House, it is the first occasion on which I have been unhappy about my own knowledge of a Bill after completing my consideration of it. I was in disagreement with a number of amendments because of my confusion.

I ask the Minister of State that, in future, we are given briefing material before debating complicated legislation, which did not happen in this instance. Would he understand the amendments before us today if he was not briefed? I am sure that he did not even understand the script he read. It is unfair on the Opposition because it prevents us from doing our jobs as parliamentarians.

I am struck by a number of typographical errors in the Bill, which suggest rushed and bad legislation. I am not happy with some of the amendments made in the Dáil but take them at face value and in the hope that the Government and its civil servants have introduced them in good faith.

A major issue, the barcoding of prescriptions, has been overlooked. This was raised last week in a court case concerning Ms Naomi McElroy of the Sunday Mirror.