asked the Minister for Local Government and Public Health whether he will authorise an inquiry into the cost of providing the proposed social benefits set out in the memorandum sent to him by his Lordship, Most Rev. Dr. Dignan.
Ceisteanna.—Questions. Oral Answers. - Cost of Social Benefits Scheme.
The memorandum to which the Deputy refers is, presumably, the paper entitled "Outlines of a Scheme of National Health Insurance," which was read by the Most Rev. Dr. Dignan, chairman of the National Health Insurance Society, at a meeting of the society on the 11th October, 1944, and, by order of the committee, released to the Press. The daily newspapers carried a report of the paper on 18th October, 1944, and on the same day I received a complimentary copy of the paper.
I have had the paper examined in my Department. The examination revealed that the paper in general did not take due cognisance of the several very complex fundamental difficulties which the author's proposals involved, that many of these proposals were impracticable, and that accordingly no further action on the basis of the paper would be warranted.
Would the Minister say whether an estimate of the cost was prepared in his Department? Can the Minister now, as a matter of information on a subject which is exciting widespread discussion, give the House and the country any indication as to what the cost of providing those benefits would be?
I have nothing to add to the very comprehensive answer which I have given.
Will the Minister tell the House and the country why he gets so annoyed every time anybody mentions this paper? Is it because he got only a complimentary slip with it?
Would the Minister inform the House, either now or at some other time, under what heading he found the proposals impracticable?
Under almost every heading on the paper.
Including finance?