One amendment has been tabled. That deals with the period of grace, the matter we discussed at some length on Tuesday— whether those people who are in the schedule should be allowed to practise pending their examination, or whether they should be given any specific period.
DENTISTS BILL, 1927
Was that circulated?
No, it has not been circulated. That was a separate and distinct question that we have to dispose of.
I think the best thing would be to go through this list of names, because from a discussion on the individual claims will emerge our views as to whether or not people should be in the schedule or in the register, and after that, whether any period of grace should be given before the passing of the examination.
The Committee discussed individual cases.
Has the Minister drafted an amendment to Section 28 yet?
MINISTER
No. I would propose to put in another paragraph—" and the several persons named in the Third Schedule shall on making the prescribed application and paying the prescribed fees be entitled to be registered and be registered."
Here are four cases that have come in since. These will be referred to the Departmental Committee.
I would like to know from the Minister when it is proposed to stop receiving applications. We must fix a date after which we will refuse to receive any further applications.
Deputy DOYLE
Was there not some talk of putting in an advertisement?
Obviously we should fix a date. I think we should not receive any more applications after, say, this sitting of the Committee. Otherwise the Committee will go on sitting indefinitely. It is now a week since the Dáil passed the motion setting up the Commitee, and I think that was sufficient time for people to have sent in their claims.
Have you got in any more claims since the last sitting?
MINISTER
Only these four.
The public do not read the Official Reports of the Dáil, and people do not know that their claims should me in by to-day. I suggest, therefore, that we should give them another week.
That is why we should issue an advertisement in the Press stating that on and after a certain date further applications could not be received.
MINISTER
What we should do is to report to the Dáil that we have examined any cases that came before us up to the date of our report, and give our recommendations, and then it will be for somebody to raise in the Dáil any question with regard to people not having notice. Money could then be voted for advertising, but the Dáil should do it.
We have no power to advertise.
You close the application list to-day?
That is for our own guidance.
Are you proposing to take Deputy Ward's amendment at the next meeting?
Yes, and any other amendments that may be handed in.
You wish that the Committee should deal with this amendment and make a recommendation to the Dáil, instead of letting the amendment go directly to the Dáil?
MINISTER
Our direction is to consider Section 28 and the schedule.
And we may make any alterations, either in the section or the schedule. I do not think we can usefully meet before this day week, because we shall not have got the information we require. I think that there will be enough work for this day week, with this amendment and any other amendment, and we can also go through the cases we have passed and about which we are in doubt as to whether they should go on the schedule or the register.
Would Deputy Ward's amendment not leave it open to a candidate who had to pass this examination to postpone his examination for seven years?
It might.
To go on practising for seven years and not go up for the examination?
Of course, it is open to any Deputy to hand in an amendment to this amendment, or to hand in another amendment dealing with the subject.
MINISTER
The one difficulty I have about Deputy Ward's amendment is that it gives a period of grace—" until such person has either been registered or has failed to qualify for registration." He would say that he has a right to qualify by an examination held within any time up to the seven years. Does Deputy Ward mean that he can avoid going up for that examination until he has practised for seven years?
I am in this difficulty, that we are not discussing the amendment now.
But the answer to the question is clear: he could.
I think it would help the Committee if Deputies who do not entirely agree with the amendment, but who accept the idea of a period of grace, would put something on paper and deposit it with the Clerk so that he could circulate it.
I did not know whether the Minister was going to——
I think the Minister does not like a period of grace at all.
Then he will not like seven years.
The Committee adjourned at 12.45 until 11 a.m. on Thursday, November 24th, 1927.