Medical Council becomes lay majority to increase transparency

THE country’s regulatory body for doctors has a lay majority for the first time — 13 lay members and 12 medical practitioners.

The appointments to the Medical Council were announced yesterday by the Minister for Health, Mary Harney, and will be effective from the council’s first meeting on Saturday, May 31, next.

Ms Harney said it was important for public confidence that members of a professions themselves do not have majority control in the governance of their regulatory body.