Before the Bill is reported with amendments, there are some readjustments of the lay-out which I have to suggest.
The contents of Part XI of the Bill —Miscellaneous—in the course of drafting and amendments have become rather too extensive, and I have in mind some rearrangements of sections before the Bill comes before the House on Report.
Sections 85, 86, 87 and 88 of the Bill, as introduced, are intended to provide the legislative basis for the proposed extended maternity and child welfare and school medical services. By official amendments Nos. 83, 84 and 101 (third group) the total number of sections dealing with this matter becomes six. Moreover, I intend to see if it would be possible by Report Stage to introduce amendments to repeal completely the Public Health (Medical Treatment of Children) (Ireland) Act, 1919, and re-enact those of its provisions which are still needed. This would obviate the system of legislation by reference which has been adopted.
In view of this, and as these provisions represent a very important aspect of the Bill, I think that they should be taken out of their present place and made into a separate part of the Bill, to be inserted before the present Part V, under the heading of "Mother and Child Service". This new part of the Bill would comprise a complete code of the law dealing with the mother and child health service. I also suggest that Sections 92 to 95— Disposal of Bodies—be transposed to be inserted immediately before the present Part X.
I propose therefore that the changes indicated be made in the lay-out of the Bill and be embodied in the next print of it.
I therefore move:—
That the following changes be made in the position of sections and the division of the Bill into Parts:—
(a) The group of sections (including new sections inserted in Committee) between Sections 84 and 89, but excluding those two sections, to be transposed to constitute a new Part before Part V, with the heading: Mother and Child Service;
(b) Sections 92 to 95, inclusive, to be transposed to constitute a new Part before Part X, with the heading: Disposal of Bodies.
This is merely a matter of reconstruction and lay-out. Nothing new is being introduced.
