I move amendment No. 1:
Section 2. After the word "Act" in line 14 where it first occurs and within the bracket to insert the words "as amended by this Act."
This is merely a drafting amendment.
Children Bill, 1934—Committee Stage.
Section 1 ordered to stand part of the Bill.
SECTION 2.
Local authorities (as defined in Section 10 of the Principal Act) shall, in the administration of Part I of the Principal Act and the performance of their functions thereunder, be subject to the general regulation and control of the Minister for Local Government and Public Health and shall, in such administration and in relation to such functions, comply with all such general directions as shall be given to them by the said Minister.
Amendment put and agreed to.
Section 2, as amended, ordered to stand part of the Bill.
Sections 3 to 9, inclusive, ordered to stand part of the Bill.
I move amendment No. 2:
New section. Before section 10 to insert a new section as follows:—
10.—(1) A local authority administering Part I of the Principal Act in any area may, with the sanction of the Minister for Local Government and Public Health—
(a) approve of such and so many (not exceeding three) persons in such area as suitable persons for the reception, in cases of emergency, of infants under the age of nine years for nursing and maintenance for reward or promise of reward, and
(b) approve, in respect of each such person, of premises as suitable for such reception of such infants.
(2) Where in circumstances which constitute an emergency an infant is received by a person approved under this section for nursing and maintenance for reward or promise of reward in premises approved under this section in respect of such person, the notice of such reception required by the Principal Act as amended by this Act may be given at any time within forty-eight hours after such reception.
There is very great need for a panel of nurses suitable for taking in children, because frequently a mother or somebody else comes with a child from the country and she has no means of finding a suitable home for it. In the past, the maternity home about which we heard so much recently, gave a child to persons who were not in any way authorised to receive it or without having any guarantee as to the capabilities of these persons or the circumstances of the home to which the child was sent. The mother now can go to the assistance officer and find out a suitable premises or a suitable nurse from this small panel. In many cases the infant has to be received in an emergency. The woman comes on a train and she must get rid of the child immediately, as she wants to get back. That is a great emergency and the notice of such reception required by the principal Act, as amended by this Act, may be given within 48 hours after the reception. This amendment makes provision for such an emergency.
The amendment is an improvement on the Bill, and if it is acceptable to the House, I am prepared to recommend it to the Dáil.
Section 10, as amended, agreed to.
Section 11 agreed to.
SECTION 12.
(1) No advertisement indicating that a person will undertake or arrange for the nursing and maintenance of an infant under the age of nine years shall be published unless the name and residence of that person are correctly stated in such advertisement.
I move amendment No. 3:—
Section 12, sub-section (1). After the word "person" in line 52 to insert in brackets the words "(whether an individual, or a body corporate or an unincorporated association)," and in line 55 to delete the word "residence" and to substitute therefor the words "in the case of an individual, the residence or, in every other case, the office or place of business."
The amendment extends the section to children who are looked after by certain associations which, under the Bill, would not come under the Registration Act at all. Some people do not approve of these associations at all, and the desire is that they should have the same treatment meted out to them as individual nurses.
Section 12, as amended, agreed to.
Section 13 agreed to.
Title agreed to.
Bill reported with amendments.
Report Stage ordered for Wednesday, 25th April.