asked the Minister for Local Government and Public Health if any steps have been taken to appoint a Commission to enquire into the working of the Health Insurance Acts; if he will state what are the terms of reference proposed to be submitted to this Commission; who are to constitute the Commission, and whether it is proposed to invite Labour Organisations to nominate any person or persons to act on the Commission.
CEISTEANNA.—QUESTIONS. [ORAL ANSWERS.] - COMMISSION RE WORKING OF HEALTH INSURANCE ACTS.
TOMÁS Mac EOIN
A Committee of Inquiry (not a Commission) into the working of the Insurance Act in the Saorstát has been appointed.
The terms of reference are as follows:—
1. To inquire into and report on the advisability of the continued maintenance of the system of National Health Insurance in its present form, and to make any recommendations which the Committee consider proper in that connection.
2. To consider whether it is desirable to institute a system of medical treatment on a contributory basis, and, if so, to advise as to the form which such system should take, and
3. To examine into and report on the question whether the medical services at present assisted or maintained out of State or local funds can be improved as respects efficiency and economy, and, if so, in what manner, due regard being had to any recommendations made under the preceding paragraph.
The Committee is mainly inter-Departmental.
The Chairman is Deputy Professor Magennis.
The other members are a representative from the Department of Finance, two from the National Health Insurance Commission, two from my Department, and one from the Actuarial Department. Dr. Rowlette and the Very Reverend Cannon McHugh, P.P., have also been nominated.
It is not proposed to invite any organisation to act on the Commission.
Can the Minister realise the absurdity of having a Committee of this kind, consisting of interdepartmental officers plus three persons who are not departmental officers, with no one to represent people that are going to be affected by the Health Insurance?
There is a considerable number of interests involved in this, and it was considered that it was much better to set up a Commission that would take a broad general view of the whole situation rather than have representatives who would merely consider particular interests. The two outside individuals who are not representatives of any Government Department are individuals with very special training. Dr. Rowlette took an active interest in the Irish Public Health Council and may be regarded as a specialist in that matter, and the Rev. Canon McHugh has a very intimate knowledge of the working of this Act in rural districts, and that is the reason for their selection.
Can the Minister say whether any of the persons on this Commission are ever likely to be affected in the matter of Health Insurance schemes, and is it not obvious that people that are insured should be represented on such a Commission?
Can the Minister tell us how many Commissions Deputy Professor Magennis is Chairman of?
In view of the fact that this Act effects the workers mostly, will the Minister not reconsider the point put forward by Deputy Johnson?
This Commission was set up by the Minister for Finance, and I have no doubt he gave very full consideration to all those matters before he decided upon setting it up in its present form.
I would ask the leave of the Dáil to take an early motion for the adjournment to call attention to this matter. It is a matter of urgency and affects a very large number of people.