This section is the only substantial part of the Bill. This is the section which increases the contributions that will be required as from tomorrow morning. There is nothing in this section or in this Bill which does anything to improve the health services in any way. The Minister has just recited a long litany of improvements in the health service over the past few years, but none of these things has anything to do with this section or with this Bill. This section is merely an extension of the budget. An additional £1.7 million is going into the general fund of the Exchequer. That is all this section does and we are not going to agree to it. The Minister in his opening speech said that the contributions were last raised on 1st January last year and therefore it is time to raise them again which, of course, is a reflection of the appalling state that inflation has reached here, that after 14 months it is necessary to raise them by over 25 per cent. It is merely an extension of the budget. It is another increase in living costs, not one which will appear in the cost of living index, which has just gone up by 7 per cent in the past few months, but nonetheless an increase in living costs which is placed upon the people as a result of last January's budget. We cannot agree to this section.
Health Contributions (Amendment) Bill, 1976: Committee and Final Stages.
Question proposed: "That section 1 stand part of the Bill."
I did not suggest that there would be an improvement as a result of this measure. I described it, as the late Deputy Childers described it, as a supplement to the financing of the health services. When the late Deputy Childers introduced his measure it was not to provide any extra service or anything like that. This is a contribution towards the health services. Improvements have been made in the last three years and it is necessary to get this money to supplement the general fund in order to continue these improvements. It was never described as a tax by Fianna Fáil before they went into Opposition.
Question put and agreed to.
Section 2 agreed to.
Title agreed to.
Bill reported without amendment, received for final consideration and passed.