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Seanad Éireann díospóireacht -
Monday, 28 Jul 1924

Vol. 3 No. 17

STATE LANDS BILL, 1924.—FINAL STAGES. - MEDICAL BILL, 1924.

I beg to move that the Committee Stage be postponed to October, and I do that, I understand with the approval of the Minister.

Possibly, as a result of statements made in the Seanad, it will be thought desirable that I should explain the present position which has now arisen. I explained it had been thought on this side that the cumulative effect of the Constitution, and the Adaptation of Enactments Act had been to carry over the General Medical Council, its powers of registration, its control over students, and all disciplinary powers, until such time as the Free State was in a position to set up a council of its own. It was then revealed to us in correspondence from the British side that they held it was as a result of four Acts or Orders, two being their own, that the General Medical Council had lapsed, and they said they were advised that the operation of these was to exclude the Irish Free State from the area of jurisdiction of the General Medical Council, and—this was in this later paragraph—they proposed to continue for the future as if the relative paragraph—that was the second paragraph—were really effective. If they had continued in that way, the effect would be that Irish students could not be registered, and the information I have received to-day is to this effect: that they desire themselves to have a little more time even to consider an interim solution, and they propose not to introduce legislation until October. They had previously had a conference, which I attended myself, and they decided to have legislation introduced corresponding to this Bill of ours, and to have it passed before they rose for the summer recess. They have now intimated they cannot get it introduced; they desire a little time further. They will hold it over until October, and will not interpret these four Acts as they had previously been advised. In other words, medical students will continue to come under the operation of the General Medical Council, and be registered until this matter again taken up. They have, more or less, accepted the position which we held, that legislation was not required. They hold it is required, but by some departmental action or persuasion they are continuing the existing situation until autumn, and, therefore, there is no necessity to have this legislation until autumn.

I move that the Committee Stage of this Bill be postponed until the 22nd October, or to such date thereafter as the Seanad shall sit. In view of the accident that happened to another Bill it might be well to have it put down for a definite date, and definitely placed on the Orders of the Day, so that we would not risk that again.

AN CATHAOIRLEACH

I hope you do not invite any discussion from me on that.

Motion put and agreed to.
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