This Bill arises out of the proposal to hold local elections in County Dublin in a short time. When the new council is elected, one of its duties will be to elect from amongst its members the Dublin Board of Assistance. In the ordinary way there would be no interruption in that course, but for the fact that in St. Kevin's, the centre of the Dublin Board of Assistance, a very important scheme of reorganisation is in progress for a considerable time. In consultation with the Minister for Health, it was decided that the best course to adopt was to continue the arrangements for control of St. Kevin's Institution that are now in force.
There is a commissioner in charge of Dublin Board of Assistance who is an officer of the Local Government Department, and the purpose of this Bill is to continue the arrangement until reorganisation is completed for the limited period mentioned in the Bill. If it is found that the administration is not completed at the end of that time, it is proposed to continue the operations of this Bill by Order, but any Order of the kind would be subject to consideration by the Oireachtas and will be subject to annulment if the Oireachtas so decides.
There is also a section in the Bill which restricts the appointment of permanent assistant county managers in Dublin area. That was considered necessary and desirable in view of proposals now under consideration dealing with the whole question of local government; proposals that have been, to some extent, mentioned already but the outline of which has not yet been settled. This Bill is a purely temporary measure, to allow the process of reorganisation, which is fairly well advanced, and which I hope may be concluded by the date provided in the Bill, to be carried out and to continue the arrangement for that period?
As far as the rights of elected representatives of the people are concerned this Bill does not alter the position. If the election of members of Dublin County Council and the subsequent election of members of the Board of Assistance take place, as is likely, before the new proposals dealing with county managers are given effect to, the position, in fact, will be the same. The elected representatives will take office, and the position that obtains of having certain very important functions reserved to the county managers and assistant county managers, or whoever the appropriate officers be, would be the same. The Bill is purely temporary in character and arises only because of the likelihood of local elections being held in Dublin shortly, for the purpose of continuing an arrangement of the work that is now in progress at St. Kevin's Institution, for a certain period, but I hope not longer than that provided for in the Bill.