Caoimhghín Ó Caoláin
Question:303 Caoimhghín Ó Caoláin asked the Minister for Health and Children his legislative priorities for 2003 and for the remainder of the 29th Dáil. [6320/03]
Written Answers - Legislative Programme.
Details of the current legislative proposals for my Department as outlined in the Government's legislative programme published in January 2003 are as follows.
Bills before the Dáil and Seanad: The Opticians Amendment Bill 2002 [Seanad] has completed all stages in the Seanad and will be introduced in the Dáil shortly. The Committee Stage for the Health Insurance (Amendment) Bill 2003 [Seanad] is scheduled for 5 March 2003.
Bills, the heads of which have been agreed and texts are being drafted – publication expected in late 2003: the heads of the Adoption Information, Post Adoption Contact and Associated Issues Bill, which will address the information rights and search and re-union services for children adopted and children raised in care, have been agreed and the text is being drafted. I expect that it will be published in late 2003. The heads of the Health and Social Care Professionals Regulatory Bill have been agreed and drafting of the text is under way. This Bill will provide for the statutory registration of health and social care professionals for the purpose of ensuring a quality service for the public. I expect that it will be published in late 2003.
Bills, the heads of which have yet to be approved by Government – heads are being prepared for the Hague Convention on the Protection of Children and International Co-operation in Respect of Intercountry Adoptions Bill which will provide for the ratification of the Hague Convention of 29 May 1993 on Protection of Children and International Co-operation in respect of Intercountry Adoption. I expect that it will be published in 2004. Work is under way on drafting heads of a Pharmacy Bill which will update and rationalise the Pharmacy Acts 1857-1977 with a view to publication of the Bill in 2004. Heads are also being prepared for the Health Complaints Bill which will provide a statutory framework for handling complaints within the health services. My Department has also commenced preparing heads of the Medical Practitioners Bill which will consolidate and update existing Medical Practitioners Acts 1978-2002 with a view to publication in 2004. Work is also under way on preparing heads of a Nurses Bill which will amend the Nurses Act 1985 as recommended by the Commission on Nursing. I expect that it will be published in 2004.
Heads are being prepared for the Voluntary Health Insurance Board (Corporate Status) Bill which will alter the corporate status of the VHI. I expect it will be published in 2004. My Department is also preparing heads of the Irish Medicines Board (Amendment) Bill which will transfer the functions of competent authority from the Department of Health and Children to the board, for the Misuse of Drugs Act and for medical devices. It is expected that publication of the Bill will take place in 2004.
In addition to the foregoing, I am proposing as a matter of priority, to introduce legislation to amend the Public Health (Tobacco) Act 2002 in order to bring its provision into compliance with EU Technical Standards Directive No. 98/34. I am also proposing to introduce legislation on the advertising, sponsorship and sales promotion of alcohol advertising.
The health strategy acknowledges the need to clarify and simplify eligibility arrangements and sets down a commitment to introduce new legislation to provide for clear statutory provisions on eligibility and entitlements for health and personal social services. As part of the implementation process, a review of all existing legislation relating to eligibility for services is on-going in my Department. The outcome will inform the approach to the drafting of a new legislative framework clarifying eligibility for services.