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Seanad Éireann díospóireacht -
Wednesday, 20 Jun 1923

Vol. 1 No. 28

NATIONAL HEALTH INSURANCE BILL, 1923. - SECOND STAGE.

Motion made and question proposed:
"That this Bill be now read a second time."

AN CATHAOIRLEACH

The Minister in charge of this National Health Insurance Bill will, I understand, be here directly. I want to consult the views of Senators on this matter. Like the previous Bill, this is one to which I think there will be no objection—certainly no objection to the principle—though it is possible some Senator might desire to move an amendment in Committee. I do not exactly know when Senators got copies of the Bill, but I think it should have been in their hands this morning. It may, therefore, be that they have not had time to consider it, and might like a little longer time for its consideration. If, on the other hand, they have read it and are satisfied that there are no substantial amendments to be proposed, perhaps they would like to deal with it in the way they have dealt with the other Bill which we have passed. However, I am entirely in the hands of Senators.

I think you ought not to put this Bill through all its stages to-day. There are many people not here who may have counted upon our carrying out the rule of not putting a Bill through all its stages in one day. Of course, if the Bill is urgent it is a different matter.

AN CATHAOIRLEACH

I was going to suggest that perhaps we might take it to-morrow.

There is great urgency in connection with this Bill, because of the fact that it deals with the question of insured persons who are members of Approved Societies which have their headquarters outside the Saorstát. For instance, in the case of people who are members of the Amalgamated Society of Woodworkers or of some other Amalgamated Trade Union Society with its headquarters across the water, it is essential that this Bill should become law before the 1st July next, because these people are obliged to leave the Societies in which they were members and to transfer to a Society with its headquarters in the Saorstát. For that reason it is extremely urgent, from the point of view of the payment of benefits and the carrying on of insurance work generally, that this Bill should be passed as speedily as possible. Arrangements have been made by the Irish Commissioners here whereby all members of Approved Societies with their headquarters across the water are to be transferred into Societies here approved of by the Commissioners. In order to enable all concerned to get on with the work of transfer at once, it is necessary that this Bill should become law at the earliest possible moment. Until the Bill does become law the schemes for transfers which have been arranged cannot be put into operation. Anyone who has had experience of the management of an Approved Society can understand the tremendous amount of work that has to be done so that everything may be in readiness before the 1st July, and so that members who transfer from Societies with their headquarters across the water can come immediately into benefit. So that the work may be done as smoothly and as quickly as possible, I would appeal to the Seanad to facilitate the passing of this Bill into law. As one who has had experience at one period as secretary of an Approved Society, I know the very considerable amount of work which the transfer of members from one Society to another involves, and particularly in a case like this where the transfer concerns members whose Society had its headquarters in another country. The Bill is purely formal in this sense, that it merely asks the sanction of law to certain arrangements which have become necessary. There is nothing contentious in the Bill so far as I can see, and I trust the Seanad will pass it as speedily as possible.

AN CATHAOIRLEACH

I agree with Senator MacLysaght as to the general principle that we ought not to relax our rulings with regard to the taking of stages of a Bill at intervals. As I have read the discussions which took place in the Dáil when this Bill was going through there, I think Senator Farren has quite fairly stated the effect of these discussions. The principle of the Bill did not arouse any hostility whatever, and possibly, under these circumstances, the Seanad would fall in with the suggestion made by Senator Farren. I might also mention that copies of this Bill as it passed the Committee Stage were printed, and I think reached the hands of all Senators, or at least a great many of them, so that it has not been sprung upon Senators. No amendments or suggestions with regard to the Bill reached me from any Senator, except, I think, Senator Linehan. Under these circumstances I would suggest to Senator MacLysaght, while I agree with him on the general principle he has stated, that, in view of what Senator Farren has mentioned, we might dispose of this Bill to-day.

It is only a question of principle with me. I have raised the same point several times in connection with other Bills.

I agree, too, with Senator MacLysaght's principle as regards the majority of the Bills that come before us, but this is one of the most urgent Bills that has ever come before us, and for the reasons that I have given it is necessary that it should be passed as speedily as possible.

Question put: "That this Bill be now given a Second Reading."
Agreed.
Barr
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