Micheál Martin (Cork South Central, Fianna Fail)
Link to this: Individually | In context | Oireachtas source

647. To ask the Minister for Health if he has received correspondence from a person (details supplied). [12956/19]

Simon Harris (Wicklow, Fine Gael)
Link to this: Individually | In context | Oireachtas source

I can confirm that there has been ongoing correspondence between my Department and the person in question in relation to an apology from the Medical Council.

One of the provisions in the recently published Regulated Professions (Health and Social Care) (Amendment) Bill 2019 will be to amend each of the five health professional regulatory Acts to provide for the right of appeal to the High Court where a minor sanctions of advice, admonishment or a censure in writing has been imposed on a practitioner, and to provide for confirmation by the Court of the minor sanctions. There is currently no right of appeal across all five Acts for the minor sanctions

Section 10 of the Medical Practitioners Act 2007 protects from personal liability in civil proceedings those who, in good faith, perform functions under the Act. This is an important protection. By amending the Act to provide for the right of appeal by the Court, registrants, who have been the subject of disciplinary proceedings, will have the opportunity to have a finding which they consider to be wrong, examined by the Courts. This is also an important protection.