Stephen Donnelly (Wicklow, Fianna Fail) | Oireachtas source

I thank the Senators for their support. It is very much appreciated.

I will go through some of the points raised. Senator Ruane raised various points around prescribing for those in addiction. She mentioned prescribing opioid substitutes such as methadone. I do not have a detailed note on this here. However, one of the measures in this Bill seeks to expand the ability of different clinicians or a broader range of clinicians to prescribe. There may well be an opportunity to look at that. I will ask my officials to check in with the HSE and the relevant line units and revert directly to the Senator with a note. If the Senator sees something in that note about which she would like to continue the conversation, she need only let me know and we can meet up and do that.

As for "uncomplicated common conditions", the wording has changed. We started off by calling it a minor ailment scheme. The chair of the fantastic group that was set up, Professor Pat Healy, said at this year's IPU conference that the use of language like "minor ailment scheme" was being banned and the reference now would be to "uncomplicated common conditions". It refers to things like a rash, conjunctivitis or regular non-severe, non-chronic conditions. Professor Healy and his group are stipulating exactly what those things are. A really good group of people has been put together and they are moving at pace.