I move amendment No. 4:—
To delete sub-section (6), page 5, and substitute the following subsections:—
(6) The council may, if it thinks fit, in lieu of or in addition to, including the separate part of the register referred to in sub-section (5) of this section in the annual publication of the Medical Register of Ireland, cause a list of persons provisionally registered to be prepared at least twice in each year.
(7) A list under sub-section (6) of this section shall be prepared in the prescribed form and shall be compiled by reference to a date directed by the council and specified in the list and the council shall cause copies of the list to be available for purchase by any person on payment of the prescribed fee.
(8) A copy purporting to be a copy referred to in sub-section (7) of this section which is for the time being the latest such copy shall be evidence in any court until the contrary is proved that every person whose name is entered therein is provisionally registered in accordance with this Act and that any person whose name is not entered therein is not so registered.
(9) A certificate purporting to be signed by the registrar and to certify that on a specified day or days or during the whole of a specified period a particular person was duly provisionally registered or that on a specified day or days or during the whole of a specified period a particular person was not provisionally registered or that on a specified day the name of a particular person was erased from the separate part of the register referred to in sub-section (5) of this section shall, without proof of the signature of the person purporting to sign the certificate or that he was the registrar and notwithstanding any discrepancy between the certificate and any list under sub-section (6) of this section or copy thereof, be conclusive evidence of the matters certified by the certificate.
The Medical Registration Council came to me and told me that on consideration they thought that the printing of a special part of the register would be a very onerous job because examinations are held in the various colleges twice a year and it would mean printing the list many times in the year. They thought it would be sufficient to have what is provided in this amendment; that is, that a list of persons would be provisionally registered.
In that way a typed list would be sufficient for the purpose. It would, of course, be open to inspection and it would be supplied to anybody who had a right to see it, such as universities, hospitals or anybody else who might have reason for examining the list. Extracts would also be sent from the list in the same way as from the register on payment of the usual small fee. I must say I agree it would be a very onerous job to have the list printed several times in the year. I think this is quite sufficient.