Select Committee on Social Affairs debate -
Wednesday, 4 Oct 1995

SECTION 19.

Dr. Moffatt

I move amendment No. 19:

In page 14, subsection (1), line 8, after "Oireachtas" to insert "within six months of the Board's financial year-end".

I tabled this amendment to ensure that the annual report of the Irish Medicines Board is published within six months of the end of the financial year. At present. It is unsatisfactory that four annual reports are still outstanding. Will these be published in a consolidated form? There is a proposal in the Bill that the Irish Medicines Board should give the Minister an annual report within six months of the year end. Fianna Fáil believes this report should be made public within six months of the end of the financial year. There are too many delays in the publication of annual reports of State agencies.

Mr. O'Shea

I agree it is unsatisfactory that the reports mentioned have not been published. However, I am assured that they will be published soon. As regards the legislation, the report should be with the Minister within six months. The difficulty arises as to how soon the Minister will lay the report before the Houses of the Oireachtas. The Minister must be given scope to deal with difficulties which might arise in any report and which require legal advice or attention. It is open to Deputies to table parliamentary questions about any undue delay in publishing a report. This formula is satisfactory and the safeguards in the parliamentary system ensure that once the legal obligation to provide the Minister with the report within six months has been fulfilled, the House can deal with the situation if a report has not been proivded.

Dr. Moffatt

We are trying to ensure it is published because it may lie on the Minister's desk for some time. We would prefer if it was made available to the public after six months.

Amendment, by leave, withdrawn.

Sections 19 and 20 agreed to.

NEW SECTION.

Mr. O'Shea

I move amendment No. 10:

In page 14, before section 21, to insert the following new section:

21. It shall be the general duty of the Board so to conduct its affairs as to secure, as soon as may be, that, taking one year with another, the revenue of the Board shall be at least sufficient to meet the charges properly chargeable to revenue.".

Amendment agreed to.

Section 21, as amended agreed to.

Section 22 to 30, inclusive, agreed to.