I move amendment No. 1:—
In sub-section (1), line 22, before "as" to insert "not being earlier than the date of coming into operation of the scheme envisaged in the White Paper (P. No. 9661)."
It is hardly necessary to explain what the scheme envisaged in that White Paper is. It is the comprehensive scheme of social insurance. There has been some doubt abroad as to when, if ever, the scheme will come into operation. The Minister has repeatedly stated, with a certain air of confidence, that the scheme will pass into law during the present year. However, having regard to the statements of some of the Deputies who support the Government, particularly the Deputies of Clann na Talmhan, that they are committed to opposing this Bill, I take it that the Minister for Lands, being leader of that Party, is of the same mind. The first question one asks is: if the scheme comes into law will it have the full approval of the entire Government? Many people have hazarded a guess that, with the commitments of the Minister for Lands, that scheme will hardly come into operation before the general election.
Apart altogether from that, however, there probably will be certain difficulties facing the Minister before he brings legislation into the House which will enact that scheme. The Minister in this section refers to the transfer day, as—
"such day as may be appointed in that behalf by the Minister by Order".
The Minister may at some time appoint a day in anticipation of the coming into operation of that scheme. This amendment is put down for the purpose of delaying the transfer of the staffs of the National Health Insurance Society into the Department of Social Welfare prematurely. The Minister's transfer day might be much earlier than the date of the coming into operation of the comprehensive scheme. Until such time as the scheme comes into operation, it can hardly be argued that the necessity arises for the taking over of the entire staff of the National Health Insurance Society by the Department of Social Welfare. Until such time as the comprehensive scheme becomes law, national health insurance, as such, will have to be administered in the usual way, examining claims and providing benefits for persons insured in the society. Therefore, I put it to the Minister that he ought to accept this amendment. The Minister may answer me by saying that he has no intention of appointing the transfer day until such time as he is sure that the comprehensive scheme is about to come into operation. Nevertheless, having regard to the air of uncertainty abroad, not only amongst the general public, but amongst Deputies who support the Government and even amongst members of the Government, I think that there is no urgency about the transfer and that it should be postponed until such time as the comprehensive scheme proper passes into law.