Róisín Shortall (Dublin North West, Labour)

I accept the principle of where the Senator is coming from. Any Minister for Education and Skills would be foolish not to consult those who are involved in providing medical training and education. My point is that the acceptance of the Senator's amendment, which would impose an obligation on the Minister for Health, would make the legislation too prescriptive. We are providing that the Minister for Health should consult the Minister for Education and Skills. He or she would be expected to consult all the various interests. There is nothing to preclude those interests from relaying their views to the Minister for Health, through the Minister for Education and Skills or otherwise. It is not appropriate to be prescriptive to the extent of naming people in primary legislation.