I move:
Go ndeontar suim ná raghaidh thar £205,191 chun slánuithe na suime is gá chun íoctha an Mhuirir a thiocfaidh chun bheith iníochta i rith na bliana dar críoch an 31adh lá de Mhárta, 1935, chun Tuarastail agus Costaisí Oifig an Aire Rialtais Aitiúla agus Sláinte Puiblí i dtaobh Riaracháin na nAchtanna um Arachas Sláinte Náisiúnta, 1911 go 1933, agus chun Ilsíntiúisí agus Ildeontaisí, ar a n-áirmhítear Deontaisí áirithe i gCabhair mar gheall ar Chostas Sochar agus Costaisí Riaracháin fé sna hAchtanna san.
That a sum not exceeding £205,191 be granted to complete the sum necessary to defray the Charge which will come in course of payment during the year ending on the 31st day of March, 1935, for the Salaries and Expenses of the Office of the Minister for Local Government and Public Health in connection with the Administration of the National Health Insurance Acts, 1911 to 1933, and for sundry Contributions and Grants, including certain Grants-in-Aid in respect of the Cost of Benefits and Expenses of Administration under the said Acts.
The total Estimate of £307,787 compares with £305,084 for the preceding year, the increase being attributable mainly to an apparent increased estimate for salaries and to an increase in State grant. The increased Estimate for salaries is, however, due to the fact that on the introduction of the Supplementary Estimate in January last the Estimate for 1933-34 was reduced by £4,305 principally through reduction in bonus and salary cuts. In reality the Estimate for salaries for this year is less by £806 than the original Estimate for last year. The increase in State grant is due to increased expenditure on benefits and to the increased number of contributions which, it is estimated, will be paid in 1934. There has been a steady increase in the annual contribution income of the Health Insurance Fund, which in 1933 is estimated to have reached £602,000.
The expenditure on benefits has, however, also increased and in 1933 is estimated to be £760,969. The average number of persons in receipt of benefits weekly through the year was 26,000. Complaints by insured persons against their treatment by Approved societies number about 120 a week only, that is, one dissatisfied benefit claimant out of every 220. Under the provisions of the National Health Insurance Act, 1929, during the 11 months ending February, 1934, sums totalling over £400 were recovered for insured persons by the Department from employers in respect of benefits lost through neglect to pay contributions. The number of medical certificates issued in 1933 was 1,338,828. The accumulated funds forming the assets of National Health Insurance amounted to £3,551,780 at the end of 1933, indicating an increase of £50,390 during the year. As the annual income derived from dividends and interest, however, is £135,970 it is evident that the income from other sources, i.e., contribution and State Grant is about £85,500 short of the expenditure.
The National Health Insurance Act, 1933, made provision for the Unification of Approved Societies. The Minister appointed three members of the staff of the Department of Local Government and Public Health to be the Provisional Committee and Trustees of the Unified Society. The Committee are proceeding with the work of unification which will be completed within three years of the passing of the Act of 1933. On the 1st January, 1934, 14 approved societies, with a total membership of 157,000 were transferred to the Unified Society. Another batch of societies consisting of approximately 123,000 members will be transferred as at the 30th June, 1934. The dates of transfer of the remaining societies have not yet been fixed.
The staff of the Unified Society is recruited as far as possible from the staffs of the Transferred and Untransferred Societies. The majority of the staff at present employed have been appointed on a probationary basis. Permanent appointments are restricted until there has been a complete survey of all existing staffs so that the mere fact that a particular society has not been transferred will in no way prejudice the prospects of any member of the staff of that society. Members of the probationary staff who were previously employees of approved societies and who will not eventually be placed on the permanent staff of the Unified Society will be entitled to compensation. So far, a sum of £25,229 has been paid in compensation to the indoor staffs of Transferred Societies.
