Mary Butler (Waterford, Fianna Fail) | Oireachtas source

In line with a signal given on Committee Stage that it might be necessary to introduce correcting amendments on Report Stage, a number of amendments to make typographical changes to sections relating to the Dentists Act, the Health and Social Care Professionals Act, the Pharmacy Act and the Medical Practitioners Act are required. These amendments can be explained under three headings. First, the correcting of a minor drafting error that relates to the internal numbering of section 71A of the Medical Practitioners Act. Second, the correcting of the spelling of "speciality". In amendments proposed to the Medical Practitioners Act and the Dentists Act, the Bill spells it "specialty" with an additional "i", making it "speciality". Given that there are other references in both Acts to "specialty", it is necessary to correct these drafting errors to ensure consistency. Third, amendments are required consequential on the Emergency Measures in the Public Interest (Covid-19) Act 2020, which was enacted in March. That Act added sections to the ends of the four Acts in question. These additional sections necessitate the renumbering of certain sections in the Bill.