I move:
That Dáil Éireann approves the following Order in draft:
The Royal Hospital, Donnybrook (Charter Amendment) Order, 1990,
a copy of which Order in draft was laid before Dáil Éireann on 18th December, 1990.
This is a small technical amendment to the charter of The Royal Hospital and, as indicated in the explanatory memorandum which accompanied the draft order, the application to amend the charter of The Royal Hospital, Donnybrook, 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 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.
Following consideration of the amendments to the charter and supplemental charter put forward by the hospital's board of management, I agreed to make an order incorporating the amendments to their existing charter, which was granted to the hospital in the year 1800, also to the supplemental charter, which was adopted in 1886. This order in draft was laid before Seanad Éireann in December 1990 and was approved by the Seanad.
The main purpose of the amendment is to make new provisions for the appointment of governors and 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 amendments to outmoded clauses. But it is only fair to the board of The Royal Hospital to say that the outdated clauses have not been applied in practice for many years past.
I wish to take this opportunity to thank the board of The Royal Hospital, and the medical, nursing and other staff of the hospital, for the excellent work they have performed over the years in treating a great number of long-stay patients and, more recently, in developing rehabilitation services. I feel sure that this good work will continue and will be further developed to meet the changing needs of the hospital's catchment population in south Dublin.
I ask the Dáil to approve of the draft Royal Hospital, Donnybrook (Charter Amendment) Order, 1990, which has been laid before the House.