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Dáil
‹ An tOrd Gnó - Order of Business

Health regulations opt-out

Summary

Mattie McGrath raised concern about the deadline to opt out of World Health Assembly changes to the international health regulations. The Taoiseach said he was unfamiliar with the issue and suggested the Minister for Health respond, while also noting some other debate requests should go through the Business Committee.

In six days' time, the window for Ireland to opt out of the amendments made to Article 59 of the international health regulations will close. This amendment was adopted by the World Health Assembly, WHA, and slashes the periods of time for which future amendments can be made from 18 months down to 12. It also cuts the time during which a member state like Ireland can exercise the right to reject the amendments from 18 months to 10 months. This is a fierce piece of legislation. There are 307 amendments brought forward by the WHA, an unelected body. We are expected to deal with this and there has been no debate on it here. It is happening with zero media attention and zero debate in the House. It is totally undemocratic and against our sovereignty. I seek an urgent debate on the matter this week because it will happen at the end of the week and 307 amendments will just pass through.

Comment on this
Leo Varadkar The Taoiseach Fine Gael

I am afraid I am not familiar with the issue Deputy McGrath has raised. Perhaps the Minister, Deputy Donnelly, will be able to come back to him directly on it. There have been calls for statements on climate action, on the situation in Northern Ireland regarding the Assembly Executive not functioning and on violence against women and domestic and gender-based violence. I would welcome statements or debate on them but I really think it is for the Business Committee to order that business in the normal way rather than here on the floor of the House.

I would like to point out that while we do not meet on Saturday, paid domestic violence leave comes into effect from Monday of next week. That is a significant move forward in terms of helping people to escape from domestic and gender-based violence. I am glad that we were able to get this legislation through during this Oireachtas.

On the gender equality issue, two referendums will be proposed to Cabinet next Tuesday. We should be in a position to share it with the Dáil immediately after that.

We will have the wording next Tuesday and in order to have the referendum in early March, which is the current timeframe we are working towards, it will be necessary to have the Bill in the House either before Christmas or, if not, first thing in January when the Dáil returns.

Finally, on the Northern Ireland Troubles legacy Act, the Government is still considering the Attorney General, AG's, advice on that. We will have to make a decision in the next few weeks as to whether we will support one of the existing cases or take our own interstate case. We have the AG's advice and that is currently under consideration. We will make a decision in the next few weeks, and at that point it might be appropriate to have statements.

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