James Reilly (Dublin North, Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

To be absolutely clear, I am 100% supportive of this Bill and of the banning of smoking in cars where children are present. There is irrefutable evidence for such a prohibition, as I have indicated. In fact, I am strongly in favour of banning it in cars altogether not only because of possible scenarios such as that referred to by Senator Conway, but because I see a health and safety issue in terms of driving with a lit cigarette in one's hand. That cigarette could fall and cause all types of problems, as Senator Norris so colourfully described last night, and there is the distractibility aspect of lighting up and so on.

There is an argument to be made for that and there is an appetite for it, but this Bill does not address that nor should we expect it to or delay it by adding it in.

Make no mistake, I wish to have this Bill passed as quickly as possible. Like the Senator, I suffer tremendous frustration when Bills take so long to be passed. When I was in opposition I introduced a Bill on medical indemnity insurance to ensure that no doctor could be registered unless they were already insured, rather than permit them the temptation of failing to have insurance. I know some have done that. That Bill is published but it is sitting on the A list. That is due to the volume of business we must get through. There is no malign intent my part or on the part of the Department. It is due to the structure we have. Senator Daly is correct. We must review how legislation is made and passed through the Houses with a view to expediting it, because it is certainly causing problems for me and my Department. That is the reason I have looked to the administrative process for the HSE service plan to try to expedite some of the reforms which I believe are essential to get our health service to where it should be.