asked the Minister for Local Government and Public Health if he has received proposals from the National Health Society for new benefits and the improvement of payments in sick, disablement, marriage, maternity, mortality, sanatorium, after care, dental and optical benefits and retiral pensions; and if in view of the need for such payments and new benefits, he will make a statement to the Dáil on the matter.
Ceisteanna—Questions. Oral Answers. - National Health Society and New Benefits.
No proposals of the nature mentioned in the Deputy's question have been received by me from the National Health Insurance Society. On Monday, the 16th ultimo, I received, through the usual Departmental channels, a complimentary copy of a paper stated to have been read by the chairman of the society, Most Reverend Dr. Dignan, to the committee of management at its meeting on the 11th ultimo. In recent years many papers on public health and associated problems have similarly been brought to my notice, but I have not deemed it appropriate to make a statement in the Dáil in relation to any of them. I am not aware of any reason why an exception should be made in the case of the paper to which the Deputy's question relates.