asked the Minister for Social Welfare if he will state if it has been decided to schedule pneumoconiosis as an industrial disease under the Workmen's Compensation Acts.
Ceisteanna—Questions. Oral Answers. - Industrial Diseases.
The question of making provision for compensation in respect of pneumoconiosis is being examined in my Department. Advice in the matter has been sought from the Department of Health and from the Medical Research Council of Ireland. It is not yet possible, however, to say whether provision for compensation for the disease could be made by scheduling it under the Workmen's Compensation Acts as an industrial disease.
I could tell of two cases before the court in the past two years where the medical evidence was that the man suffered from this disease and the cases had to be withdrawn because it was not a scheduled disease and the two men have since died.
It is not a scheduled disease. That is quite right.
It is about time we considered that aspect of the case.