asked the Minister for Health if his attention has been drawn to a report (details supplied) indicating his intention to close down the family planning clinics presently in operation; and if it is his intention to draft regulations which will render illegal any of the present activities of these clinics and if he will comment on the report.

7.

asked the Minister for Health when the regulations under the Health (Family Planning) Act, 1979 will be made.

With the permission of the Ceann Comhairle, I propose to take Questions Nos. 6 and 7 together.

I have seen the article to which the question refers. Regulations under the Health (Family Planning) Act, 1979, are being drafted and will be laid before the Houses of the Oireachtas in due course.

Will the Minister say whether the report to which the question refers was accurate or not?

I outlined in the course of the family planning legislation discussions the statutory position and that still is the position.

Is it the Minister's intention in the drafting of regulations to restrict in any way the scope of operations of the family planning clinics as they operate at the moment?

I outlined the position frequently in the course of that discussion and it is that the conditions under which a family planning service may be provided in future are laid down now in the statute and anybody wishing to provide a family planning service will have to conform with the statute.

What is the reason for the delay in issuing the regulations since the Act was passed some time ago?

I would not consider the delay in this case was anything unusual.

Is the Minister consulting with any organisations or groups of people outside the Department in relation to drafting the regulations and has this been responsible for the delay?

I shall certainly be discussing this with quite a number of bodies, as I promised, pharmacists, doctors, nurses and various people.

Will the Minister be consulting with the family planning people?

If they wish to talk to me, yes.

Question No. 8 postponed.