asked the Minister for Social Welfare if he has seen the report in connection with the decision to enlarge the Commission on Workmen's Compensation by the appointment, three years after its establishment, of three additional members, two of whom are representatives of insurance companies; if he is aware that reference has been made to the fact that meetings of the commission were suspended for the compilation of important information; if, as stated in the report, this important information was in fact an actuarial examination of the comparative costs of a State scheme; whether this actuarial examination revealed facts that would have a detrimental effect on commercial workmen's compensation insurance; and if he will make a general statement on the matter, including the reasons for these late additional appointments to the commission.
Ceisteanna—Questions. Oral Answers. - Commission on Workmen's Compensation.
I have seen the Press report to which the Deputy refers regarding the decision to enlarge the Commission on Workmen's Compensation. I am aware that sittings of the commission were suspended for a time pending the obtaining of an actuarial report, but since the commission has not concluded its deliberations it would not be proper for me to comment on the contents of the report in question.
In making the three additional appointments to the commission, I had due regard to the desirability of maintaining an appropriate balance between the representation on the commission of the various interests concerned with workmen's compensation so that the commission may complete the task allotted to it to the greatest advantage of the community as a whole.
Does the Minister, therefore, not agree that when the commission was first established, all interests were given proportionate representation?
If the Deputy, who established the commission, asks me, I did not think so.
It seems to me, therefore, that the Minister merely wants to pack the jury in order to get a certain decision.
The Deputy did a fair amount of packing, too.
Let the Minister make his allegation now. He is packing the jury in this case.
I am merely ensuring that one of the interests most immediately concerned in this matter should be adequately represented.
That is, the insurance companies.
Why not?
They are adequately represented.
I did not think so. They had one representative out of I do not know how many.
They had more than one.