: I move:
That Dáil Éireann approves of the following Order in draft:—
The Adelaide Hospital Charter (Amendment) Order, 1980,
a copy of which Order in draft form was laid before Dáil Éireann on 16th June, 1980.
As explained in the memorandum which accompained the draft order the application to amend the Charter of the Adelaide Hospital was made by the board of management of the hospital. Section 76 of the Health Act, 1970, gives power to the Minister for Health to make an order, on the application of the governing body of a hospital, to amend a charter or private Act relating to that hospital, subject to consultation with the Commissioners of Charitable Donations and Bequests, who have been consulted in this case and who have approved of the proposed amendments to the hospital's charter and also subject to a draft of an order which it is proposed to make being laid before each House of the Oireachtas. The section stipulates that the order shall not be made until a resolution approving of the draft has been passed by each House.
I considered the amendments in the charter put forward by the hospital's board of management and have agreed to make an order incorporating them in their existing charter.
The main purpose of the amendments is to remove certain restrictive clauses in the existing charter, which dates from the year 1920, and also to bring up to date certain other clauses that are regarded as outmoded. The memorandum circulated with the draft order explains the various amendments. I believe that the House will welcome the removal of the restrictive clauses indicated, but it is only fair to the board of the Adelaide Hospital to say that, generally speaking, the restrictive clauses have not been applied in practice for many years past.
I wish to take this opportunity to thank the board of the hospital, and also the medical, nursing and other staff of the hospital, for the good work they have performed over the years in treating the many thousands of persons who attended the hospital both as in-patients and outpatients. I feel sure that this good work will continue in the future and we can all look forward to the day when the services at present provided in the Adelaide Hospital will be transferred to more modern hospital facilities in the new hospital that is to be built at Tallaght. Representatives of the Adelaide Hospital will be included on the board that will be set up soon to plan the development of the new Tallaght hospital.
I ask the Dáil to approve of the draft Adelaide Hospital Charter (Amendment) Order, 1980, which has been laid before the House.
