Dáil Éireann díospóireacht -
Tuesday, 1 Feb 1966

Vol. 220 No. 4

Ceisteanna—Questions. Oral Answers. - Health Services.

60.

Mr. James Tully

asked the Minister for Health if he will state (i) the estimated cost of the proposed amendment to section 50 of the Health Act, 1953 mentioned at paragraph 112 of the White Paper on the Health Services, (ii) why, in view of subsection (3) of section 1 of the Health and Mental Treatment (Amendment) Act, 1966 the proposed amendment to section 50 of the Act of 1953 was not included in the Bill for the Act of 1966, and (iii) if he will sponsor a short Bill to improve the position of disabled persons in advance of the major amending legislation.

61.

Mr. James Tully

asked the Minister for Health if he will state in relation to paragraph 61 of the White Paper on the Health Services his objections to the collection of the portion of the health service charges estimated at £484,000 attributable to insured persons and dependants through the medium of an insurance contribution of a few pence per week payable on the social insurance stamp by insured persons while employed, no payment to be made when ill or unemployed, thereby eliminating the ten shillings per day charge and effecting substantial savings in administration, assessment and collection.

Minister for Health (Mr. O'Malley)

With your permission, a Cheann Comhairle, I propose to take Questions Nos. 61 and 60 together.

I intend to put down a motion which will enable the House, before the end of next month, to debate, as a whole, the proposals in the White Paper. In view of this, I propose to defer to that time my reply to the present enquiries, except part (i) of Question No. 60. My estimate of the cost involved in that case is £50,000 a year but the Deputy will appreciate that in the absence of adequate data it is necessarily tentative.