Catherine Byrne (Dublin South Central, Fine Gael)
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Question 203: To ask the Minister for Health and Children the stage the Nurses and Midwives Bill is at; when it will be published; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [29348/07]

Mary Harney (Dublin Mid West, Progressive Democrats)
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The General Scheme of the new Nurses and Midwives Bill has been drafted. The Government recently gave approval for the draft General Scheme of the Bill to be published as part of the public consultation process which will be initiated by my Department in the coming weeks. The purpose of the Bill is to modernise the regulatory framework for nurses and midwives and to enhance patient safety and the protection of the public. The Bill is consistent with the Government's commitment to strengthen and expand the provisions for the statutory regulation of health professionals. The provisions of the draft Scheme are aligned to the provisions of the Medical Practitioners Act 2007, the Health and Social Care Professionals Act 2005 and the Pharmacy Act 2007.