asked the Minister for Health when the last Poisons Act was enacted; and if he intends introducing any amending legislation to bring the Act up to date.
Ceisteanna—Questions. Oral Answers. - Poisons Legislation.
5.
I am not clear as to what exactly the Deputy has in mind. If he is referring to legislation controlling poisons qua poisons, then the last enactment is the Poisons Act, 1961. So far as that Act is concerned it needs amendment in some technical respects and I am availing of the opportunity presented by the preparation of a Bill to control safety, quality and efficacy of medical preparations to effect these amendments.
If, on the other hand, the Deputy is referring to the making of regulations under the Poisons Act, 1961, based upon the recommendations of the Poisons Council, the position is that certain matters which need to be covered by fresh regulations must await the enactment of the amending legislation to which I have referred but, in the meantime, I have had prepared draft regulations based on these recommendations and have circulated them widely to all the interested organisations. Consultation with these bodies is proceeding.
Is the Minister aware that there have been a number of fatal accidents as a result of the sale, without proper labelling, of various horticultural and agricultural preparations such as Paraquat? Could the Minister say how soon the legislation to which he has referred will be brought into effect so that such accidents might be avoided in future?
The Deputy would have to give me details of the preparations concerned. I answered a number of questions in this House in relation to the sale of Paraquat. If the Deputy is referring to that preparation, he can look up the reference to the questions I answered in relation to its sale. So far as Paraquat was concerned, it was not the non-labelling of the containers that was responsible for accidents but, rather, the fault lay in the dispersing afterwards of the preparation into bottles of different kinds. Elaborate precautions have been taken by the companies selling Paraquat to avoid that in the future. I am not aware of any cases other than those in respect of Paraquat.
Would the Minister not agree there is a need for a new Poisons Act in view of the many new preparations, horticultural and agricultural as well as others, that are now on the market?
I have told the Deputy that I am preparing fresh legislation. This requires a great deal of consultation which is highly technical in character. This consultation is taking place between my Department and the organisations concerned and between my Department and the Department of Agriculture and Fisheries where they are involved. The Bill will be a highly technical one which I hope I and other Deputies will be able to understand when it is introduced.