Finian McGrath (Dublin North Central, Independent)
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Question 261: To ask the Minister for Health and Children if she will pay more attention to the views of the Irish Hospital Consultants Association in relation to their concerns regarding the Medical Practitioners Bill particularly in relation to the make-up of the new medical council, freedom of information matters and the new powers of the Minister. [8433/07]

Mary Harney (Dublin Mid West, Progressive Democrats)
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The Irish Hospital Consultants Association was one of 58 stakeholders to make a submission on the draft Heads of the Medical Practitioners Bill. In addition, both I and officials of my Department have met with the IHCA during the preparation of the Bill. The Bill now before the Oireachtas reflects my consideration of the views expressed by all who made submissions.

Finian McGrath (Dublin North Central, Independent)
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Question 262: To ask the Minister for Health and Children if another EU country has the same number of doctors and lay members on their medical council; and the reasoning behind changing this present make up. [8434/07]

Mary Harney (Dublin Mid West, Progressive Democrats)
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As I mentioned in my closing statement at the Second Stage Debate in the Dáil on the Medical Practitioners Bill on 23rd February, the Medical Council is a public body established by statute. It must inspire public confidence and this is greatest where there is a lay majority. It is a question of reassuring patients and the public that the body that oversees the regulation of doctors is, above all else, concerned with the public interest and is not involved in the regulation of the profession by the profession.

Systems of medical regulation are administered in differing ways throughout the EU. In some Member States, regulation is undertaken in different regions by different authorities. In others, professional bodies hold some responsibility and in others still, Government Ministries are responsible. Member States differ in the way they undertake registration and fitness to practise functions. In some, the fitness to practise, or disciplinary function is undertaken by a completely separate authority to that which registers doctors.

It is therefore not possible to directly compare all EU Member States, as many do not have a Medical Council which undertakes a similar role to the functions assigned to the Medical Council in Ireland.

The UK's General Medical Council is the authority which is most easily comparable to our own Medical Council. At the present time, it has 40% lay representation on its Council. However, I referred in my closing statement to a White Paper which was published last week in the United Kingdom by the Secretary of State for Health and the Chief Medical Officer. The White Paper is entitled "Trust Assurance and Safety — The Regulation of Health Professionals in the 21st Century" and sets out the Government's plans to reform professional regulation. The White Paper proposes that councils that regulate health professionals should have, as a minimum, parity of membership between lay and professional members, to ensure that purely professional concerns are not thought to dominate their work. It further states that the UK Government is convinced that all councils should be constituted to ensure that professionals do not form a majority.