As Senators can see, this is a very short Bill. It provides that in future the President will, by virtue of his office, be President of the Irish Red Cross Society. Up to the present the situation has been that the Government nominated the President of the Irish Red Cross Society when a vacancy occurred, which was every five years. Twice since the passage of the Red Cross Act, the Government had to make an appointment, and they considered it advisable to ask the President to become the President of the Irish Red Cross Society. He agreed. Lately, when the matter came up for consideration again, it was thought that we here should follow the procedure which has been followed in practically every other country where the Head of the State is also the head of the Red Cross Society. This Bill makes provision to carry that into effect: that, in future, the President, by virtue of his office, will be President of the Irish Red Cross Society.
Public Business. - Red Cross Bill, 1944—Second and Subsequent Stages.
I agree with the proposal in the Bill. On a previous occasion I mentioned a certain matter in connection with the Irish Red Cross. We know that the society aims at raising a sum of £500,000. So far as I have seen from the published reports the society has succeeded in raising only about one-fifth of that sum. I desire to put before the Minister a suggestion which has been made by many who are interested in the collection of funds for the Irish Red Cross Society, and it is that, as incentive to subscribers, the Minister for Finance would agree to give relief to income-tax payers, in respect of the amount which they subscribe to the funds of the society.
I am afraid, Senator, that is outside the scope of this Bill.
I thought I might be able to get it in on the Second Reading of the Bill.
I am afraid not, Senator.
I will have to try to get it in some other time.
May I ask the Minister if it is true that there is a question on the application form for personnel for the Irish Red Cross unit for France asking whether the applicants have a knowledge of the Irish language?
That question is also outside the scope of the Bill.
I would like to know whether, before the Bill was introduced, the President was invited to accept office, and, if so, whether he agreed.
He has already agreed twice.