asked the Minister for Health who are the present members of Bord na Radharcmhastóirí.
17.
Ceisteanna—Questions. Oral Answers. - Bord na Radharcmhastóirí.
16.
asked the Minister for Health if in relation to such members of Bord na Radharcmhastóirí appointed by him as are medical practitioners he will state what organisation or body he consulted on the appointments under the provisions of section 9 (3) of the Opticians Act, 1956; and how and when such consultation took place.
With your permission, a Cheann Comhairle, I propose to take Questions Nos. 16 and 17 together.
The organisation consulted by me, pursuant to the provisions of Section 9 (3) of the Opticians Act, 1956, was the Irish Ophthalmological Society. On 24th November, 1959, I invited the Society to submit to me its observations on the names of four persons, each of whom was a registered medical practitioner, whom I proposed to appoint to the Board.
The members of Bord na Radharcmhastóirí are: Mr. P. Nugent, Dr. Honoria Aughney, Dr. P. Fleming, Mr. C.F. Bruton, Mr. W.J. Dalton, Mr. T.S. Mason, Mr. T.R. Miller, Mr. L. P. Pelly, Mr. D.D. Sweeney.
Would the Minister say if the Board is a complete Board at the moment? Are there vacancies on the Board at the moment?
There are vacancies on the Board.
How many vacancies?
Two. Two persons whom I had appointed resigned.
Will the Minister say is the Ophthalmological Society which he mentions a society which extends outside the State?
I understand that the society does include in its membership some Irishmen who do not reside within the Twenty-Six Counties?
In fact, is the President of that society a person outside this Republic?
He may be. I do not know who he is at the moment.
Can the Minister say why, in relation to the appointments of doctors to this Board, he did not take the obvious course of consulting the Irish Medical Association?
For the simple reason——
Now, now; that is more than he can swallow.