I want ask the Minister about the health (amendment) (no. 2) Bill. The Minister for Health wrote to me and stated that he would be bringing forward that legislation. Is the intention to bring it directly to the floor of the House or will it undergo pre-legislative scrutiny? I wish to remind the House that this legislation will give effect to a commitment given by the Government and to a Sinn Féin motion to extend the medical card scheme to children in receipt of the domiciliary care allowance.

I understand the heads of the Bill will come to Cabinet soon. This will fulfil the budget announcement we made. The question of whether it needs preliminary legislative scrutiny, as adverted to by Deputy O'Reilly, is a matter for the Oireachtas and the Minister for Health to decide.

Will the Minister define "soon"?

I believe it will be arriving in the next few weeks or in the next few months.

They will be waiting another year. Is that it?

Of course, this is the type of service improvement that has been facilitated by the economic changes that Sinn Féin said would never happen.

They will be waiting another year.