Brendan Ryan (Labour)

I move amendment No. 10:

In page 12, subsection (2), lines 22 and 23, to delete "by the Minister" and substitute "or elected as set out in subsection (3)".

We are discussing a number of amendments together. The Labour Party is unhappy with the fact that it is the Minister who appoints the council. The council should be appointed by following the legislation. That is the reason we suggest in amendment No. 10 that the council shall consist of 21 persons appointed or elected as set out in subsection (3). It is a self-governing profession to a considerable extent and I invite the Minister to examine another way of establishing the council other than the Minister being the appointer of the members. I believe that was included by accident. Some other people who have read the Bill, although they are not in the profession, see this as a sinister attempt to take over but I do not believe that is the case. The Minister has enough to do without taking over the pharmaceutical profession.