The next draft report is on Dentists. Here also there was little or no disagreement in the Sub-Committee. We had representatives of the dental association in and they do not see any serious concern in relation to this directive on dentistry.
Paragraphs 1 to 8, inclusive, agreed to.
PARAGRAPH 9.
There was some difficulty about the fact that the Italians do not have separate training for dentists—doctors in Italy do whatever dentistry is done there. But apparently there is agreement now that there will be a specialised course of training for Italian dentists as well. Would it not be correct to say that there are no real matters of concern in relation to dentists in Ireland anyway?
Paragraph agreed to.
Paragraph 10 agreed to.
PARAGRAPH 11.
What will happen to stomatologists?
We do not know exactly what will happen. Apparently that question has also been submitted to COREPER. They are looking at the plight of the Belgians regarding the type of specialists they are concerned about. At this stage the profession here do not see anything serious in this proposal for them nor does the Department. The draft Directive is similar to the doctors' one. The doctors' Directive was discussed in great detail. The feeling is that there may be a suitable drill to give effect to the Directive on dentistry later in the year also but some time will elapse before it reaches that point.
Paragraph agreed to.
PARAGRAPH 12.
Might I raise two points on this report? Did the Sub-Committee dealing with this report consider the question of recognition of dental qualifications in Ireland? When a Sub-Committee are considering the effect of EEC legislation on the situation here presumably they cannot be divorced totally from the position obtaining in Ireland. There has been real concern for a considerable time about conditions in the dental college and resources for dental teaching. I wondered whether the Sub-Committee had considered that when examining the position of free movement of dentists in a European Community context.
There was no doubt expressed on whether our dentists were sufficiently qualified to practise in any of the other Member States. That matter was not raised by the representatives of the profession who spoke to us.
Paragraph agreed to.
Paragraphs 12, 13 and 14 agreed to.
PARAGRAPH 15.
I see that paragraph 15 states:
Adoption of the proposals would certainly necessitate amending the Dentists Act, 1928 . . .
Did this give rise to any broader discussion on the way in which this might be amended?
There was no concern expressed. It was indicated that there would be proposals for legislation coming later in the year when this could be taken in, as in the case of the doctors' one.
Was it indicated that the necessary implementation here would definitely, from the beginning, be by a Bill through the Oireachtas rather than by regulations? The Chairman will recall, in the case of the free movement of doctors, that regulations were introduced pending introduction of the Medical Practitioners' Bill now before the Seanad.
My recollection is that it was hoped and expected that it would take the form of a Bill, as in the case of the doctors.
In the case of doctors there were regulations introduced for a period.
The people from the Department could not commit the Minister to a positive line on this. The feeling was that he was likely to follow what was done in the case of the Medical Directive.
My point is that the Joint Committee should not be particularly happy with what happened in the case of the medical one. This was introduced by regulations rather than by way of the Bill.
There might have been time limits compelling that to be done for the time being.
If this Directive is about to be passed with an 18 months' time limit surely the Government should be in a position to give a commitment.
That is what we say in the report.
I understand that from paragraphs 14 and 15. I wondered whether that specific commitment had been given by the Department.
No, it was not. We are unlikely to get that specific commitment unless we have a Minister present.
Paragraph agreed to.
Paragraph 16 agreed to.
Draft Report agreed to.
Ordered: To report accordingly.
