I will now outline the proposed changes to the Irish Medicines Board Act 1995. This Act makes broad provision for arrangements for the control of medicinal products, including in respect of manufacture, sales, supply and distribution. The first amendment concerns access to certain approved prescription medicines. During Covid-19 we widened the pool of health professionals who could administer Covid-19 vaccines with the appropriate training and supports. This will be retained and extended so that we have a permanent…

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 c…

The pharmacists will not decide. They will have a clear list and they will have training in all of these things. It will expand over time. Because we have never done anything like this, we will start with a fairly narrow list but I am pretty sure it will broaden. I am very open to naloxone being over the counter. I am very open to as wide a distribution as possible. In other countries, it is successfully used much more broadly than it is here. Canada is a very good example. Unfortunately, the reason they have so mu…

Sure, but that is what they said to me. We certainly do not want a situation where anyone feels that they are in any way second-class citizens. I am very happy to keep it under review. With regard to GP prescribing, it is not covered in this Bill but again, I am more than happy to look at that because the Senator made some very fair points. Senator Dolan asked if the medical card adjustment can be applied retrospectively and the answer is "Yes", in that if somebody had a medical card, rented out a room and lost tha…

I very much welcome the opportunity to speak in Seanad Éireann today about not just scoliosis services, which are the focus of the Bill, but more broadly around paediatric spinal services, including scoliosis, spina bifida and other conditions as mentioned by Senator McDowell. I thank the Senators for tabling the Bill. As has been said, the Government and I are not opposing the Bill. Our goal is for everyone in Ireland to have access to the care they need when they need it. That includes complex spinal surgery, equ…

Well said.

Hear, hear.

We have not been speaking to any of the sections, so I will need time to read the section and respond. We have just been going amendment by amendment. We will have to take this slowly, read the amendments, get the detailed notes and respond, if that is okay with everybody.

I understand. In respect of specific questions on the individual sections, I want to make sure we give the Senator-----

I understand. The Senator is asking a question about the section, which he is perfectly entitled to do.

I fully accept that. I am not questioning that whatsoever. We have very clear speaking notes, amendment by amendment, which allow me to respond very quickly. The Senator is asking a question about the section. I want to make sure I give him a correct answer. Therefore, I will have to take a moment to read the section.

I do not mean that we should suspend. I think we need to keep going. I want to make sure I have an answer.

If it works for the Senator, I can ask the Department to come back to him with a detailed note, if we want to keep moving through the sections. Alternatively, I am more than happy to endeavour to answer the question now. Whatever works-----

I think there are two different questions here. One relates to embryos that are created and the second deals with the case of posthumous donor assisted human reproduction where one of the intending parents dies. On the first, any embryos created would be treated in exactly the same way they are now and have been for many years. There are embryos created through IVF and through existing surrogacy arrangements; the same situation would apply. If, for example, a couple are availing of IVF, embryos have been created an…

It depends. In the case of a man and a woman, if the embryo has a genetic link to the man and the man dies and if there is a posthumous agreement in place going into IVF, it is their choice to decide what they want to do in the case of one of them passing away. If they do sign something authorising their partner to continue with assisted human reproduction in the case of their death, if it is a woman, she can use the embryo herself to attempt to become pregnant. If that does not work, she can try to avail of surrog…

Is the Senator asking what happens if he is the one who dies?

It is a man, donor assisted,-----

-----with no other partner involved and he dies.

The embryo would be disposed of in the same way that they are through IVF surrogacy now and have been for many years.

I thank the Senator for his questions. As he has read out, the regulatory authority will have very broad powers in determining the appropriateness of the applicants for surrogacy. As was absolutely clear through the draft legislation, it is the safety of the child which comes first and foremost. I have been told that there is a misunderstanding circulating on social media, for example, around the amendment Senator Keogan put forward in good faith seeking safeguards and that this has been interpreted incorrectly as …