Midwives Bill, 1931—Report and Final Stages.
I move amendment 1:
In page 2, lines 26-28, Section 2, to delete paragraph (c).
Amendments 1 and 3 taken together embody the amendment I outlined on the Committee Stage which Deputy Dr. Ryan said would satisfy the people for whom he was speaking. The intention is that the Central Midwives Board will frame a regulation which will enable them to hold an examination for persons who, without any further training, if they pass the examination will be certified as midwives. It will not be possible to get that regulation framed for a couple of months, and it is provided that the examination will take place within the twelve months after the regulation is framed. There are, therefore, certain people practising at present who may qualify under that examination. Amendment 3 provides that persons who are eligible to go for that examination may in the meantime continue to practise. It is proposed to take out sub-section (2) (c) and insert amendment 3.
Amendment put and agreed to.
The following amendments were also agreed to:—
2. In page 2, line 35, Section 2, paragraph (e), to add after the word "necessity" and as part of the paragraph the words "and that a midwife was not immediately available."
3. In page 2, Section 2, to insert a new sub-section as follows:—
"(2) Notwithstanding anything in the foregoing sub-section it shall, until the first day of January, 1933, be lawful for any person to attend a woman in childbirth if—
(a) such person is either—
(i) a person to whom a certificate in midwifery was granted, before the 1st day of June, 1927, on examination by a lying-in-hospital recognised by the Board, after, in the case of a trained medical and surgical nurse, a course of training in midwifery of three months or more or, in the case of a sick children's nurse registered in the Register of Nurses under the Nurses Registration (Ireland) Act, 1919, a course of training in midwifery of four months or more or, in any other case, a course of training in midwifery of six months or more, or
(ii) a person who, at any time before the 1st day of January, 1924, was a midwife in the permanent employment of a poor law authority, and
(b) such person gives such attention under the direction and personal supervision of a duly qualified medical practitioner."
(General Mulcahy).
Bill, as amended, received for final consideration; passed Fifth Stage and ordered to be sent to the Seanad.
