Brian Ó Domhnaill (Fianna Fail) | Oireachtas source

Late on Tuesday night I read a lengthy letter from a midwife who works in Letterkenny University Hospital. Not everyone agrees with them, but the values and rights of the persons in questin should be respected.

The Irish Pharmacy Union has written to the Minister outlining its concerns. Pharmacists, some of whom are based in Senator Reilly's constituency, have raised concerns with me about this issue. Their rights also deserve to be respected and they are not having a go at anyone. They are professionals who have a conscientious objection to the manner in which the legislation has been structured. All we are looking for is to have their conscientious objection respected in the legislation. We have structured our amendments in such a way as to facilitate and rubber stamp this.

The Minister has referred to the code of conduct for doctors and midwives. I have raised the concerns of pharmacists about their code of conduct. As I have a copy of the new draft code with me, I know that it does not deal with a pharmacist's conscientious objection. In fact, it infers that a pharmacist must refer. That means that when the legislation comes into effect on 1 January, in line with the aim of the Minister, pharmacists will be placed in a position where they will have no right to hold a conscientious objection, which is very wrong. In tabling the amendments my colleagues and I have provided the Minister with an opportunity to address the matter.