17 Dec 2014, 17:35
Committee to also consider the microbiology of Lyme disease
17 December 2014
The implications for both the patient and medical profession of unregistered practitioners of cosmetic surgery will be on the agenda of the Oireachas Joint Committee on Health and Children tomorrow Thursday 18 December.
Margaret O'Donnell, President, Irish Association of Plastic Surgeons; Patricia Eadie, Immediate past-President, Irish Association of Plastic Surgeons; Siobhan Kelly, CEO, Irish College of Ophthalmologists and Dr Patrick Ormond, Irish Association of Dermatology will present to the Committee.
Committee Chair Jerry Buttimer, TD said: “Tomorrow’s meeting will allow the Committee explore some of the serious concerns held by a range of medical experts on the practices of unregistered practitioners. We expect to hear a number of examples of bad practice in this area where patient safety has been compromised. The Committee looks forward to discussing where gaps in regulation exists, how other countries are tackling the problem and where we, as legislators, can best work to curb the activities of unregistered practitioners of cosmetic surgery.”
Following this engagement, the Committee will discuss the micro-biology of Lyme disease. Dr. Colette Bonner, Deputy Chief Medical Officer and Head of the Health Protection Unit, Department of Health; and Dr. Bartley Cryan, Consultant Microbiologist, Cork University Hospital will be addressing the Committee.
Deputy Buttimer continues: “Lyme Disease, which also known as Lyme-Borreliosis is a debilitating disease caused by a tick bite. Symptoms include headaches, chronic fatigue, exhaustion and flu-like feelings. Tomorrow we will hear from a number of experts in relation to the microbiology of Lyme disease. The meeting follows a detailed discussion with a series of experts and people who have contracted this disease at a previous meeting.”
The Committee sessions will start in Committee Room 2, Leinster House 2000 at 9:30 am on Thursday 18 December. It will commence with scrutiny of EU proposal COM (2014) 262, which relates to control of control of new psychoactive substances and will to be followed by discussion on cosmetic surgery.
Engagement on the microbiology of Lyme disease is anticipated to commence at 11:30 am. Committee proceedings can be followed live here.
Committee proceedings can also be viewed on the move, through the Houses of the Oireachtas Smartphone App, available for Apple and Android devices.
Media enquiries to:
Paul Hand,
Communications Unit,
Houses of the Oireachtas,
Leinster House,
Dublin 2
P: +3531 618 4484
M: +353 87 694 9926
paul.hand@oireachtas.ie
Committee Membership:
Deputies: Jerry Buttimer (Chair), Catherine Byrne, Ciara Conway (Vice-Chair), Regina Doherty, Robert Dowds, Peter M Fitzpatrick, Seamus Healy, Billy Kelleher, Eamonn Maloney, Clare Daly, Sandra McLellan, Dan Neville, Mary Mitchell O’Connor, Caoimhghín Ó Caoláin and Robert Troy
Senators: Colm Burke, John Crown, John Gilroy, Imelda Henry, Marc Mac Sharry and Jillian Van Turnhout