Mark Daly (Fianna Fail) | Oireachtas source

I would like to briefly bring up a matter on section 29. The Minister of State raised the issue of penalties and this is an issue of concern. The reason there were penalties added to this clause is because there have been cases of unqualified people, sent and paid by interpreting services, going to hospitals, pretending to be interpreters and interpreting for people who are critically ill. The hospitals had been informed that they were not qualified interpreters and yet they continued to use them for months afterwards. The people were eventually stopped.

I do not want to see criminal sanctions. I would rather we had a system that worked, but I think it is important that there are consequences for people who pretend to be interpreters, especially in cases of life and death or in legal cases where people's liberty is at stake. I agree with the Minister of State that he might bring in an amendment at some stage. There have to be consequences for unqualified people pretending to be interpreters and putting lives at risk.