Brendan Smith (Cavan-Monaghan, Fianna Fail)

I wish to apologise for inconveniencing the House and thank all Members for their co-operation in deferring this discussion from 3.30 p.m. I was launching a child and adolescent centre in Finglas and was back in Leinster House at 3.30 p.m. so I was being cautious in notifying our Whip that I might be delayed.

I am reporting back to Seanad Éireann on some minor amendments that were made in Dáil Éireann which had the broad support of all contributors in that Dáil debate. The first is the addition of definitions covering the health insurance Acts, which relate to the provisions now included in the Bill under sections 3, 4 and 5, which I will address when dealing with group 3, and also the restructuring of the initial definitions of the relevant subsidiary on the services subsidiary. The meaning of these subsidiaries is now set out within the relevant sections. The other changes made are drafting amendments covering references in the Bill to the Companies Act.