Might I ask your permission, Sir, and the permission of the House, to refer to the Order made earlier to-day on the Royal Hospital for Incurables Dublin (Charter Amendment) Bill? The Minister for Health made a statement to-day, and, following that statement, an Order was made referring the Bill to the Joint Committee. The Seanad members of the Joint Committee have been in consultation on the matter since, and it appears that reference back to the Joint Committee involves expense to the Royal Hospital for Incurables, which is a charitable institution and very short of funds. Senators who are members of the Joint Committee, Senators Douglas, Colgan and P.F. O'Reilly, have consulted together and have agreed that, in the circumstances, it would be better that the Order should be discharged.
For the benefit of Senators, I would like to say that that means that the Fourth Stage of the Bill will be passed to-day and the Bill will go to the Dáil. The Minister will presumably make his statement there and Deputies will be free, either to let the Bill go through as an unopposed measure or refer it to the Joint Committee, so that we are not depriving anybody of any rights. I should like to repeat that the three Senators who are members of the committee are in agreement that the Order should be discharged. Perhaps I would be allowed to move now that the Order be discharged.
