Carol Nolan (Laois-Offaly, Independent)
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695.To ask the Minister for Health if his Department will be prioritising the progression of any specific pieces of legislation prior to the Dáil summer recess; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [24704/24]

Stephen Donnelly (Wicklow, Fianna Fail)
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My Department has seven Bills on the priority list for the Summer Legislative Programme.

Three Bills are included as priority for publication as follows:

Priority for Publication:

Health (Miscellaneous Provisions No. 2) Bill

Mental Health Bill and

Health Information Bill.

The Health (Miscellaneous Provisions No. 2) Bill was initiated in the Dail on the 2nd of May and is currently awaiting Committee Stage. Work is ongoing on both Mental Health Bill and the Health Information Bill and the drafting of both of these Bills is at an advanced stage.

My Department has four Bills included as priority for drafting as follows:

Priority for Drafting:

Health (Amendment) Bill 2024

Health (Amendment) (Licensing of Professional Home Support Providers) Bill

Health (Amendment) (No..2) Bill 2024 and

Public Health (Tobacco Products and Nicotine Inhaling Products) (Amendment) Bill 2024.

Drafting is at an advanced stage for The Health (Amendment) Bill 2024 and it is envisaged that this bill will be drafted by the end of the summer session. General Schemes for both the Health (Amendment) (Licensing of Professional Home Support Providers) Bill and the Public Health (Tobacco Products and Nicotine Inhaling Products) (Amendment) Bill 2024 have been approved and drafting will commence shortly. Work is ongoing on progressing the General Scheme of the Health (Amendment) (No. 2) Bill 2024.

My Department also has three Bills which are currently before the Oireachtas, as follows:

Health (Assisted Human Reproduction) Bill 2022

Health (Miscellaneous Provisions) Bill 2024 and

Health (Miscellaneous Provisions No. 2) Bill.

The Health (Assisted Human Reproduction) Bill 2022 has passed Report Stage and it is envisaged that this will be completed in the Oireachtas by the end of the summer session. The Health (Miscellaneous Provisions) Bill 2024 is currently awaiting Report Stage and as discussed above the Health (Miscellaneous Provisions No.2) Bill is currently awaiting Committee Stage.

Work is also continuing on the other legislation set out on the Summer Legislative Programme across my Department.