I move:
That, in pursuance of Standing Order No. 106 of the Standing Orders relative to Public Business, the Health Bill, 1969, which had reached Committee Stage prior to the dissolution of the Dáil on 22nd May, 1969, be restored to the Order Paper.
Health Bill, 1969: Motion.
I want to oppose the motion because it appears to me that the intention of the motion is to resume consideration of the Health Bill on the Committee Stage. As far as I can gather, we are pretty well into the Committee Stage. I do not think it is playing fair with this House to deprive approximately 40 Deputies of an opportunity of making their comments on the Second Stage of that Bill or indeed of making their comments or amendments, as they could have done if they had been Members of this House, on the sections which have already been passed. The Taoiseach or the Minister for Health may tell me there is precedent or precedents for this. There may be a precedent in that some Bills which were introduced in the last Dáil were by motion more or less deemed to be resumed in the Nineteenth Dáil, but I would like to remind the House that those Bills are now resuming at Second Stage. There has been no discussion, needless to remark, on the First Stage.
I believe, therefore, the House should be given an opportunity of discussing this Health Bill in full, particularly since, as I said, over 40 new Deputies would have an opportunity of making comments. From our Party's point of view, we find this an inadequate type of Bill in view of the requirements of the health services at the present time and I think the new Minister for Health should give all Members of the House an opportunity of making their views known.
According to the Standing Order which is quoted in the motion, unless it is otherwise stated, and it is not, we resume at the Committee Stage. I should like to remind the House as well that, even though there was a Finance Bill introduced prior to the 22nd May, the Minister for Finance has introduced a new one with some additions. I certainly would not agree to this precedent of starting the discussion on the Committee Stage. If we allow this precedent to go there is a danger the Minister for Justice will resume the Criminal Justice Bill, which is well into the Committee Stage, on the Committee Stage. I believe every Deputy should have an opportunity of making his views known on the Health Bill and on the Criminal Justice Bill.
As far as the Fine Gael Party are concerned, our view is now the same as it was on the Second Stage of the Health Bill. Fine Gael, alone of all Parties in this House, voted against the iniquitous Health Bill which it is now sought to reinstate on the Order Paper of this House at Committee Stage. As far as our 450,000 are concerned, we are satisfied they are still opposed to this same iniquitous Health Bill, particularly in so far as it requires the ratepayers in the future as in the past to contribute——
The Deputy may not discuss the Health Bill on this motion.
I am entitled to say that 450,000 people have authorised the Fine Gael Party to continue in their opposition to the Health Bill.
That does not arise on this motion.
The motion at the moment is:
That, in pursuance of Standing Order No. 106 of the Standing Orders relative to Public Business, the Health Bill, 1969, which had reached Committee Stage prior to the dissolution of the Dáil on 22nd May, 1969, be restored to the Order Paper.
Under the Standing Orders of this House I am entitled to say why the Fine Gael Party believe the Bill should not be returned to the Dáil Order Paper. I am entitled to state all reasons. The reasons which I have put before the House were the serious reasons, but if there is any effort to curtail my statement of the reasons I will have to state all the reasons. I am entitled to say that 450,000 people have authorised us to continue our opposition to this Bill.
The Deputy said that twice.
I had to state it twice because the first time I stated it you interrupted me. I am also entitled to state that the Government are also entitled, having obtained greater support from people than the 450,000 votes Fine Gael got, to say to the ratepayers that they still must pay 50 per cent of the health costs. It is on the heads of the stupid people who voted for them that the blame for this lies. As far as we in Fine Gael are concerned, our view is exactly the same as it was when we first opposed the Bill on the Second Stage, when alone of the representatives of this House we voted against it. On that account we are against this proposal.
Before you put the matter to the House would the Taoiseach, particularly, or the Minister for Justice say if it is intended to proceed in the same way with the Criminal Justice Bill.
That is another day's work.
I do not think this is playing fair with the House. This is the Nineteenth Dáil, not the Eighteenth Dáil. Would the Taoiseach or the Minister for Health not note what has been proposed from these parties here?
Question put.
The House divided: Tá, 60; Níl, 37.
Tá
|
Aiken, Frank.Andrews, David.Barrett, Sylvester.Blaney, Neil.Boland, Kevin.Boylan, Terence.Brady, Philip A.Brennan, Joseph.Brennan, Paudge.Briscoe, Ben.Browne, Patrick.Browne, Seán.Burke, Patrick J.Carter, Frank.Childers, Erskine.Colley, George.Collins, Gerard.Cowen, Bernard.Cronin, Jerry.Crowley, Flor.Davern, Noel.Dowling, Joe.Fahey, Jackie.Faulkner, Pádraig.Fitzpatrick, Tom (Dublin Central).Flanagan, Seán.Foley, Desmond.Forde, Paddy.French, Seán.Geoghegan, John. |
Gibbons, James.Gogan, Richard P.Haughey, Charles.Healy, Augustine A.Herbert, Michael.Hilliard, Michael.Kenneally, William.Lalor, Patrick J.Lemass, Noel T.Lenihan, Brian.Lenihan, Patrick J.Lynch, Celia.Lynch, John.McEllistrim, Thomas.MacSharry, Ray.Meaney, Thomas.Molloy, Robert.Moore, Seán.Moran, Michael.Nolan, Thomas.Noonan, Michael.O'Kennedy, Michael.O'Leary, John.O'Malley, Des.Power, Patrick.Smith, Michael.Smith, Patrick.Timmons, Eugene.Tunney, Jim.Wyse, Pearse. |
Níl
|
Barry, Peter.Begley, Michael.Belton, Luke.Belton, Paddy.Bruton, John.Burke, Joan.Burke, Richard.Burton, Philip.Clinton, Mark A.Collins, Edward.Conlan, John F.Corish, Brendan.Cosgrave, Liam.Cott, Gerard.Creed, Donal.Cruise-O'Brien, Conor.Desmond, Barry.Esmonde, Sir Anthony C.Finn, Martin. |
FitzGerald, Garret.Flanagan, Oliver J.Governey, Desmond.Jones, Denis F.Kavanagh, Liam.L'Estrange, Gerard.Lynch, Gerard.O'Connell, John F.O'Donnell, Tom.O'Donovan, John.O'Leary, Michael.O'Sullivan, John L.Ryan, Richie.Sweetman, Gerard.Thornley, David.Timmins, Godfrey.Treacy, Seán.Tully James. |
Tellers: Tá, Deputies O'Malley and Mrs. Lynch; Níl, Deputies Kavanagh and L'Estrange.
Question declared carried.