Madam, - Derek Cunningham, press officer to the Tánaiste (March 9th), replying to comments made by your columnist Mary Raftery, says the Tánaiste believes that "lay membership of professional regulatory bodies is an important public interest safeguard". He goes on to state that "the Tánaiste will propose that all doctors must undergo continuing medical education as well as audit, peer review and assessment of clinical performance. This is to be done to provide transparency and to prevent a repetition of the events that occurred in the Lourdes Hospital."
While I agree with Mary Harney as regards the Medical Council, I wonder if she has any plans to extend these measures to her own profession in light of all that has been revealed in the myriad of tribunals, past and present.
If she were to begin by proposing an assessment of the "clinical performance" and "competence" of our parliamentarians, along with compulsory continuing education so as to reduce the risk of them repeating their mistakes, her proposals for regulating other professions might be easier to swallow. By the way, are there "lay members" on any of the select, joint or Dáil committees and has the Tánaiste ever called for such? - Yours, etc,
DECLAN MORIARTY,
Wheatfields Close,
Dublin 22.