asked the Minister for Health if he will define the term "manual worker" under the present scheme of eligibility for free hospitalisation.
Ceisteanna—Questions. Oral Answers. - Free Hospitalisation Scheme.
9.
Decisions as respects manual workers rest with the health boards. In practice, the boards decide, having regard to the work content of any particular employment, whether it should be classed as "manual" or "non-manual" for purposes of health services entitlement.
Could the Minister say if there has been any progress made in the work of the committee to sort out the anomalies in the definitions?
Yes, I have the report of the working party.
Arising from the submission of that report does the Minister intend making any changes or issuing any guidelines?
The whole situation will have to be reviewed between now and next April.
Is the Minister insisting that he does not intend to make any change in definitions between now and next April?
I do not think that it would be very wise from the administrative point of view to make any changes when we shall be reviewing the whole situation and bringing in an entirely new system next April. The Deputy knows that this anomalous "manual"/"non manual" situation has existed for a considerable time.
Would the Minister not agree that the fact that inequity has existed for a considerable time is not any justification for its continuing and would he not agree——
I am pointing out to the Deputy that his party did not do anything about it when they were in office. It was a situation which I inherited.
The Minister is a big boy now; he should stand on his own feet. He spoke about it often enough when in Opposition and would he not agree that what he advocated when in Opposition should be implemented when he is in government?
I told the Deputy that this situation will be reviewed and an entirely new system introduced next April. It would be unwise and inadvisable to make any change at this stage pending the introduction of this new system.
People who are without benefits would not agree with the Minister.