Brendan Ryan (Labour)

The argument made to me by the profession seems extraordinary in that a pharmacist qualifying in Britain can practise in Dundalk but a pharmacist qualifying in this State cannot practise in Newry. To put it crudely, it is not fair and is a barrier to trade. It means multinationals can operate here but nobody can set up an Irish multinational unless he or she employs pharmacists qualified in other countries. This must be resolved. The profession would be entitled, if it so chose, to head for the European Court of Justice to insist that the anomaly be ironed out. It seems to be entirely unfair.

There are many issues of detail in the Bill to which we can refer on Committee Stage. I welcome some aspects, in particular. Having a lay majority is a very good idea. If the medical profession decides to bear down on me between now and the Seanad elections — I may have 6,000, 8,000 or 10,000 eligible to vote for me — so be it. It is time they learned that lay people are not a threat to the professions. My own profession would be terrified if the regulatory body for engineers had a lay majority. There is a difference between having a lay majority and having lay people who are the agents of others. The first loyalty of members of a body such as the Irish Medical Council, the Pharmaceutical Society of Ireland or a similar organisation would be to the profession. Such persons cannot serve two masters.