Kathleen Lynch (Cork North Central, Labour) | Oireachtas source

There is no point in doing this if we cannot do it properly. It is not about excluding people. First and foremost, it is about ensuring the health and safety of the public is safeguarded. Equally, it is about ensuring those who are charged with delivering the service can do so in a practical way. It is not our intention to exclude anyone. I assure Senator Crown that if anything further needs to be done, we will not have a problem in taking a look at it.

I hope that will satisfy, but we will go back and take another look.

There were concerns in regard to an aspect of the Bill about non-registered sales assistants in the selling of spectacles. We have taken that amendment on board. We have made it now beyond doubt and explicit that those who are not registered can continue to assist in the sale of spectacles after the prescription has been filled. I hope that answers the questions raised.

Senator Gilroy asked about the increase in the registration fees of both nurses and midwives. I am not certain I can answer that now. It is not an issue for the Bill but it is an issue for the registration board. I am aware of it. I am sure that negotiation goes on. I would fully accept the Senator's point, that if 9,500 nurses fail to register next year it would cause a problem that we do not want to have. The Senator's concerns will be conveyed to the Minister, but I am not certain what we can do about it in terms of this Bill. As the Senator will probably be aware, I am a great believer in solutions. There is a solution to everything, as far as I am concerned. I hope that problem can be resolved because it is not a situation that we want to see.