asked the Minister for Social Welfare if he will introduce proposals for legislation to extend the benefits of the National Health Insurance Acts to persons who are incapacitated from work as a result of accidents received in the course of their employment or otherwise and to amend the National Health Insurance Acts and the Workmen's Compensation Acts accordingly.
Ceisteanna—Questions. Oral Answers. - Amendment of Insurance Acts.
Persons who are incapacitated from work as a result of accidents received in the course of their employment and who come within the scope of the Workmen's Compensation Act are entitled to receive compensation in accordance with the provisions of that Act. If they are insured persons under the National Health Insurance Acts they cannot, in addition, receive benefits under these Acts except to the extent of the excess (if any) of the rates of national health insurance benefit over the compensation.
Persons who are incapacitated from work as a result of accident arising otherwise than in the course of their employment are not thereby debarred for benefits under the National Health Insurance Acts if they are insured under those Acts. If, however, they are entitled to receive damages at common law, the amount of the benefit under the National Health Insurance Acts may be correspondingly reduced.
The whole subject of the co-ordination of the existing social insurance schemes is at present under examination in my Department, and special attention is being directed to the possibility of the integration of workmen's compensation with a general scheme of social insurance.