I do not intend to go into the merits or demerits of the Act. This whole question of National Health Insurance has been before a Committee of Inquiry, and they brought in an Interim Report, which is before Deputies. Some of the findings of the Committee were unanimous, and we intend to give effect to these by legislation, which will probably be introduced this session. There were other recommendations which were not unanimous, and we do not intend to deal with these at present. There was also a recommendation as regards unification, but the phraseology was such that we felt we would not be justified in acting on that recommendation without further consideration. Accordingly no action will be taken with regard to that in the forthcoming legislation. I will give some figures as regards the sale of stamps in the years 1923, 1924, and 1925. In 1923 they amounted to £423,000, in 1924, £469,000, and in 1925, £480,000. The amounts paid in benefit for those years were very high. In 1923 the amount paid was £441.000, in 1924, £477,000, and 1925, £476,000, and there were additional benefits as well.
Deputy Hogan was anxious to get some information about the Valuation Report. That has not been completed yet, but, judging by the result of the valuation so far as it has gone, we believe that it is very satisfactory, much more satisfactory than was anticipated, and that as a result we will probably be able to give additional benefits—dental and hospital benefits— to a great many more societies. Deputy Sir James Craig referred to the fact that members of the Irish National Foresters and A.O.H. Societies were not able to contribute to the hospitals. Those societies at the time had not sufficient funds to give the additional benefits of hospital treatment, but several other societies are at present in a sufficiently sound position to give these benefits, and we expect that after this valuation a great many more will be in that position, as the valuation is much better than we anticipated, as far as it has gone, though, of course, it is not completed yet. The accumulated funds at present amount to £2,460,000. As regards the Ministry of Industry and Commerce, we are merely collecting contributions for unemployment, and the cost of our administration, salaries and travelling expenses is, as to about half of it, ascribable to unemployment.