Source document: https://docs-lawep.s3.us-east-2.amazonaws.com/1697804616950.pdf (Ireland)
Oireachtas Library 3AUK3 1HI CIKLrtNN.

BILLE UM ARACHAS SLAINTE NAISIUNTA, 1923.

NATIONAL HEALTH INSURANCE BILL, 1923.

Mar do ttigadh isteach.

As introduced.

ARRANGEMENT OF SECTIONS.

Part I.

General, Section.

1.

Interpretation.

Part II.

Transitional Provisions.

2.

Constitution of Irish members of British Societies into Provisional Irish Societies.

3.

Constitution of Irish Branches of British Societies into Trish Provisional Societies.

4.

Obligation of Irish Societies.

5.


Conversion of Provisional into Approved Societies or transfer of members to other jW’ieties, etc.

6.

Transfer to Irish Societies of appropriate funds.

7.

Transfer by Irish Societies of appropriate funds.

8.

Application to British Brandies.

9.

Continuation of certain benefits.

10.

Authority for making adjustments.

11.

Obligations of Trustees of Societies.

12.

Constitution of Special Account.

13.


Constitution of the Military Forces (International Ar­ rangements) Insurance Fund.

Adaptation of Enactments and Mutual Arrangements.

Part III.

14.

Adaptation of Enactments.

15.

Provisions as to Temporary Residence.

16.

Mutual Arrangements.

17.

Adaptation of Sub-section (6) of Section 48 of the Act of 1911.

18.

Transfer of Powers of Joint Committee.

[No.

26 of 1923.]

Part IV.

Application of National Health Insurance to Short-Service Soldiers.

19.
19.

Contributions in respect of Soldiers.

20.

Treatment of Soldiers as Employed Contributors.

21.

Reduction of Benefits in the case of persons entitled to pensions in respect of disablement.

*22.

Provisions as to arrears.

23.

Contributions deemed to be paid in due course.

24.

Application and Definitions.

Part V. Miscellaneous!

25.

Abolition of Women’s Equalization Fund.

26.

Application of sums unclaimed in Stamp Sales Account.

27.
27.

Continuance of the National Health Insurance (Prolonga­ tion of Insurance) Act, 1921.

28.

Short Title and Construction.

I SAORSTAT EIREANN.

BILLE UM ARACHAS SLAINTE NAISIUNTA, 1923.

NATIONAL HEALTH INSURANCE BILL, 1923.

5 10 BILL entitled AN ACT TO AMEND AND ADAPT THE NATIONAL HEALTH INSURANCE ACTS, 1911 TO 1921.

BE IT ENACTED BY THE OIREACHTAS OF SAORSTAT EIREANN AS FOLLOWS:— PART I.

GENERAL.

1.
GENERAL.

1.

—In this Act, unless the context otherwise requires :— The expression “ Joint Committee ” means the National Health Insurance Joint Committee.

Interpretation 15 The expression “ Insurance Commissioners ” means the Irish Insurance Commissioners.

The expression “ appointed day ” means such day not later than the first day of July, nineteen hundred and twenty-three, as the Insurance Commissioners may fix.
20 The expression “ funds ” includes investments and credits, and in relation to a branch includes the share of the branch in the funds of the Society of which *it is a branch.

The expression “ British in relation to a Society or branch me-ans a Society or branch having its principal office situate in 25 Great Britain.

The expression “ Irish *’ in relation to a Society or branch means a Society or branch having its principal office situate in Saorstdt Eirennn.
The expression “ the Acts ” means the National Health In- 30 surance Acts, 1911 to 1921.

The National Insurance Act, 1911, the National Insurance Act, 1913, and the National Health Insurance Act, 1918, are respec­ tively referred to as the Act of 1911, the Act of 1913, and the Act of 1918, and references to any particular provisions of those 35 Acts shall be construed as references to those provisions as amended by any subsequent' enactment.
The expression “ Great Britain ” shall be deemed to include Northern Ireland.

PART II.

40 TRANSITIONAL PROVISIONS.

2.


—(1) Where a British Society had immediately before the first day of April, 1922, anv members resident in Saorst&t Eireann, then, as from the said first day of April, anv insured persons so resident who would, if Saorst&t Eireann had not been 45 established, have been entitled to receive benefits from that British Society as members thereof, shall be deemed to have been and to be members of a Provisional Irish Society.
# Constitution of Irish members of British Societies into Provisional Irish Societies.

3 Constitution of Irish branches of British societies into Irish provisional societies.

Obligations of Irish societies.
Conversion of provisional into approved societies or transfer of mem bers to other societies, &c. (2) The benefit* of the members ot such a Jrpvisional Irish Society may, if ahran^efiients for the purpose ai*e made between the Insurance Commissioners and the Joint Committee, continue until a date not later than the appointed day to be administered by the Committee of Management of such British Society as aforesaid as if such Committee of Management were the Com­ mittee of Management of the Provisional Irish Society.
• '** .... n , * _ ‘ ' 3.

—Where immediately before the first day of April, 192*2, a British Society had one or more Irish branches, then, as from the said first day of April, the branch, if there is only one, shall be deemed to have become a.
Provisional Irish Society, and the branches, if more than one, shall be deemed to have become branches of a Provisional Irish Society with branches : * * v % Provided that if arrangements are made for the purpose be­ tween the Insurance Commissioners and the Joint Committee, the central body of the British Society may continue until the appointed day to exercise as respects such Provisional Society or branches the like powers of control and management as would have been exercisable by it if Saorst&t Phreann had not been established and the Society or branches had remained a branch or branches of the British Society.
4.

—Any Irish Society or branch which has since the first day of April, 1922, administered benefits of insured jiersons resident in Great Britain shall keep such accounts and give to the Insur­ ance Commissioners such information with respect to those per­ sons and deliver to the Insurance Commissioners such paj>ers and documents in its possession or under its control and relating to those persons as the Insurance Commissioners may direct.

10 15 20 25 5.
—(i) The Insurance Commissioners may take such steps as they think expedient for enabling Provisional Irish Societies before the appointed day :— 30 (а) to become properly constituted and approved Irish Societies or branches thereof : (б) to transfer their engagements as respects any of their members to one or more other Irish Societies or to branches thereof : and the Insurance Commissioners shall have jiower to give directions for the pur|)ose, including ]>ower to apply with or Without modification any regulations made in pursuance of Section 31 and Clauses (a), <b), and (d) of Paragraph 1 of Part 1. of the Fourth Schedule to the Act of 1918, as to the transfer of engagements.
(2) The steps taken by the Insurance Commissioners under the foregoing sub-section may include steps for enabling a branch of a Provisional Irish Society to become a separate Approved Irish Society.
(3) Provisional Irish Societies shall be deemed to he Approved Societies untii the appointed day, hut on and after the apj>ointed dav no Provisional Irish Society shall be deemed to be an Ap­ proved Society, and all insured persons resident in Saorstdt Eireann who immediately before the appointed day are members of a Provisional Irish Society shall on the appointed day be trans­ ferred to the Dissolved Societies Fund of Saorstat Eireann, and the Insurance Commissioners shall have power to give directions for the purpose, including power to apply with or without modi­ fication any regulations as to transfers to the Dissolved Societies’ Fund made in pursuance of Section 28 and Paragraph B of the First Schedule to the Act of 1913.
35 40 45 50 55 60 Transfer to Irish societies of ap­ propriate funds.

6.
—(1) Where in pursuance of this Act any Provisional Irish Society becomes a properly constituted and Approved Society or branch, the Insurance Commissioners shall transfer to or to the account of the Society, or, if the Provisional Society becomes a branch, to that branch find to or to the account of the Society of 4 which it becomes a branch, such funds as may be determined as at; the first day of April, 1922, to represent funds — (a) attributable to the members of the parent Society who became members of the Provisional Society; or fb) in cases where the Provisional Society consists of a former branch or branches of the parent Society, attri­ butable to that branch or branches : subject to such adjustments as may be required in respect of the }>eriod between the said first day of April and the date when the Society becomes a properly constituted and Approved Society.
(2) Where in pursuance of this Act the engagements of a Pro­ visional Irish Society in resjrect of any of its members are trans­ ferred to another Society, or meml>ers of a Provisional Irish Society are transferred to the Dissolved Societies’ Fund, the Insurance Commissioners shall transfer to or to the account of that Society or Fund such funds as may be determined as at the first day of April, 1922, to represent funds atributable to such members as aforesaid, subject to such adjustments as may be re­ quired in respect of the period between the said first day of April and the date when the transfer of engagements is effected, or the appointed day as the case may be.
(3) Pending the determination of the amount of the funds to be so transferred to or to the account of any Society or Fund, the Insurance Commissioners may give to the Society or Fund credits on account of the funds to be so transferred to it of such amounts and in such manner as they may think fit.

(4) In this section the expression “ parent Society ” means the British Society, members of which, or a branch or branches of which, are by virtue of this Act deemed to constitute a Provisional Irish Society.
7.—(1) The funds as on the first day of April, 1922, of every Transfer by Irish Trish Society which immediately before that date had amongst societies of sp­ its members insured [K-rsons resident in Great Britain, or had one ProPnate funds, or more British branches, shall be apportioned, and the funds which on such apportionment are found to be properly attributable to such members or branches after deducting the amount of any funds held on the said first day of April on behalf of the Society by the Minister of Health for England, the Scottish Board of Heaitn, or the Ministry of Labour for Northern Ireland, shall, subject to such adjustments as may be required in res|>ect of the period between the said first day of April and the appointed day or any part thereof, he transferred to the Insurance Commis­ sioners.
(2) This section shall apply in the case of an Irish branch in like manner as it applies in the case of an Irish Society, except that in such case the apportionment shall be made of the funds of the Society as well as of the branch.

8.
8.

—The foregoing provisions of this Part of this Act shall apply Application to branches in the case of British branches and insured persons resident in Saorstat Eireann who immediately before the first day of April, 1922, were members thereof in like manner as they apply to British Societies and persons so resident w’ho were at the said date members of British Societies, subject however to such modifications as the Insurance Commissioners may direct.

9.
—Where an insured person who by virtue of this Act becomes Continuation of a member of a Provisional Trisli Society or branch thereof, was certain benefits, immediately before the first day of April, 1922, entitled to receive from the British Society or branch of which he was then a mem­ ber any additional benefit, he shall be entitled to receive from the Provisional Irish Society or branch thereof, or from any Society or branch to which he is transferred under this Act, or from the Dissolved Societies’ Fund, such additional benefit, so long as he would have been entitled to receive it had he remained a member 5 — Authority for making adjust* ments.
Obligations of Trustees of societies.

of the British Society or branch, subject, however, to such variations as in the opinion of the Insurance Commissioners may be necessary or expedient.

10.
—(1) It an arrangement is made .before the appointed day between the Insurance Commissioners and the Joint Committee for the establishment of a Board containing representatives of the Insurance Commissioners and the Joint Committee for making apportionments, determinations and adjustments both under this Act and under any corresjxmding legislative enactments in Great Britain, any apportionment or determination of a share in funds or other financial adjustment required by this Part of this Act shall be made by such Board.
In default of such arrangement being so made all apjjortion- ments, determinations or shares and adjustments required by this Act shall be made by the Insurance Commissioners. '
(2) Such Board as aforesaid or the Insurance Commissioners, as the case may be, shall have full power to make such apportion­ ments, determinations and adjustments, and to do all such things as they may consider necessary or expedient to carry into effect the objects of this Part of this Act, and to complete as at the 1st day of March, 19*22 the apjjortionment of the assets and liabilities of the Irish National Health Insurance Fund as between Saorstat Eireann and Northern Ireland.

11.
11.

—(1) Where under this Act any part of the funds of a Society or branch is on an apportionment or adjustment trans­ ferable to the Insurance Commissioners, the Insurance Commis­ sioners may require the trustees of the Society or branch to make the necessary transfer, or, in any case in which it ap|>ears to the Insurance Commissioners exjiedient, they may make the neces­ sary transfer out of the funds held by them on behalf of the Society or branch.
(2) A certificate from the Insurance Commissioners that a transfer has been made by the trustees of a Society or branch in accordance with such requirements as aforesaid shall be a good discharge to the trustees as respects the funds so transferred.

Constitution of special account.

12.
—The Insurance Commissioners shall carry to a social account:— (a) all funds which in pursuance of this Part of this Act are transferred to the Insurance Commissioners by or on behalf of an Irish Society or branch or by the Joint Committee under the National Health Insurance (Inter­ national Arrangements) Order, 1923; and (b) such funds as represent the amount held by them imme­ diately before the first day of April, 1922, on behalf of British Societies and British branches, subject to such adjustments as may be necessary in respect of the period between the said first day of April and the appointed day; and out of that account shall be transferred all funds which, by virtue of this Act, are to be transferred by the Insurance Commis­ sioners to or to the account of any Irish Society or branch, or to or to the account of the Dissolved Societies’ Fund.
13.
—(1) There shall be constituted under the control and management of the Insurance Commissioners a special fund to be known as the Military Forces (International Arrangements) In­ surance Fund, the membership of which shall on and after the 1st day of July, 1923, consist of persons who are resident in Saor­ stat Eireajin on the 1st day of July, 192(3, and were immediately before that date members of the British Navy and Array Fund, and of such of the following persons as may be agreed upon be­ tween the Insurance Commissioners and the Joint Committee under any mutual arrangements for securing the continuity of insurance of such persons, that is to say— 6 Constitution of the Military Forces (Inter­ national Arrange­ ments) Insurance.
Fund.

5 10 15 20 25 30 35 40 45 50 65 60 f l (a) persons who having served in the Naval, Military, or Air Forces of Great Britain are or become on or at any time after the 1st day of July, 19*23, resident in Saorstat Eireann; .

(b) persons who, having served in the armed forces of Saorstdt Eireann, are or become on or at any time after the 1st day of July, 19*23, resident in Great Britain.
•'(*2; There shall be transferred to the credit of the Military Forces (International Arrangements) Insurance Fund by the In­ surance Commissioners the equivalent of such sum as on the apportionment of the British Navy and Army Insurance Fund under this Act is found to be as at the 1st day of July, 19*23, ap­ propriate to the members of that Fund who are under this section transferred to the Military Forces (International Arrangements) Insurance Fund.
(3) All members of the British Navy and Army Insurance Fund who are under ihis section transferred to the Military Forces (International Arrangements) Insurance Fund shall, on and alter such transfer, have the same rights against and obligations to the Military Forces (International Arrangements) Insurance Fund as immediately before such transfer they had against and to the British Navy and Army Insurance Fund.
(4) There shall be credited to the Military Forces (International Arrangements) Insurance Fund all contributions paid by or in resj>eet of members of that Fund, and the proper proportion of the sums required for providing benefits for'members of the Fund and for the expenses of the administration of such benefits, together with such further sums as may from time to time be required for securing the solvency.of the Fund, shall be paid out of moneys provided by the Oireachtas.

BART III.
BART III.

ADAPTATION OF ENACTMENTS AND MUTUAL ARRANGEMENTS.

14.—(1) The Insurance Commissioners may for the purj)ose of Adaption of Section 4 of the Act of 1918 establish a fund to be called the enactments.
National Health Insurance Central Fund, to which shall be carried so much of the Central Fund established under the control of the Joint Committee in pursuance of the said Section 4 as on the apjKjrtionment of that Fund l>etween Great Britain and Saor­ stdt Eireann is found to be attributable to Saorstat Eireann.
(2) Every mention or reference contained in the Acts (including Section 4 of the Act of 1918) of or to the Central Fund established under the said Section 4 shall be construed and take effect as a mention of or reference to the National Health Insurance Central Fund established under this section.
(3) The Acts shall in their application to Saorstdt Eireann have effect as if— (a) for the sum of one hundred and fifty thousand pounds mentioned in Spb-section (1) of Section 4 of the Act of 1918 there were substituted the sum of five thousand pounds; and (b) for the sum of thirty thousand pounds mentioned in Section 31 of the Act of 1913 there were substituted the sum of one thousand pounds.
(4) References in the Acts to the United Kingdom shall, in the application of the Acts to Saorstdt Eireann, be construed as refer­ ences to Saorstat Eireann, except that in Sub-section (10) of Sec- 7 tion forty-eight of the Act of 1911 the reference to the United Kingdom shall he construed as a reference to Saorstat Eireann or Great Britain.

m Provisions as to^ temporary resi- dence.


15.—Tf a person who is insured in Saorstat Eireann is tempo- rarilv resident in Great Britain he, and in the case of maternity benefit his wife, shall not by reason of such residence be disen­ titled to sickness, disablement or "maternity benefit, and such l>enefit shall be payable by* the Society or out of the fund bv or out of which it would have been payable had the insured person continued to reside in Saorstat Eireann.
Mutual arrange- igt—(i) if tjle insurance Commissioners and the Joint Com- nuttee enter into arrangements— „ (a) for securing continuity of insurance of persons who being insured in Saorstat Eireann or Great Britain are or become resident and employed in Great Britain or Saorstat Eireann as the case may be (including the in­ surance of men serving in the armed forces of Saorstat Eireann, who previously to enrolment or enlistment in any such forces were resident in Great Britain, and of men who, having so served within six months after their discharge from any such- forces, become resident in Great Britain); (b) for securing exemption from liability to make contribu­ tions in the case of |>ersons who, being ordinarily resi­ dent and not •insured in Saorstat Eireann, become tem­ porarily employed in Great Britain, or who, being ordi­ narily resident and not insured in Great Britain, become temporarily employed in Saorstat Eireann ; (c) with respect to the insurance of i>ersons who, being resident in Saorstdt Eireann, are employed either tem­ porarily or permanently in Northern Ireland, or who, being resident in Northern Ireland, are employed either temporarily or permanently in Saorstat Eireann; (d) in the case of a ship registered in Saorstat Eireann or Great Britain, the owner of which resides or has his principal place of business in Great Britain or Saorstat ■'Eireann as the case may be, for determining whether contributions payable in respect of the persons employed on the ship are to be payable under the Acts in their application to the country in which the ship is regis­ tered, or under the Acts in their application to the country in which the owner resides or has his principal place of business; (e) for rendering insurable persons who in consequence of the establishment of Saorstdt Eireann are no longer in­ surable either under the Acts in their application to Saorstat Eireann or under the Acts in their application to Great Britain; the Insurance Commissioners shall with the consent of the Minister for
 Finance make such Orders as may be necessary to carry out any such arrangements, and may by any such Order make such modifications in the Acts in their application to Saor­ stdt Eireann and to persons resident or employed therein as may be necessary to give effect to the arrangements, and for enabling such financial adjustments to be made as may be necessary or expedient in consequence of any such arrangements : Provided that such Order shall not come into force unless and until the Insurance Commisioners are satisfied th.at reciprocal provisions having the force of law in Great Britain have been made for carrying the arrangements into effect in Great Britain, and shall continue in force only so long as such reciprocal pro­ visions continue to have the force of law in Great Britain.
(2) An Order under this section may provide that where an owner, of a ship registered in Saorstdt Eireann does not reside or 8 have his principal place of business in Saorstat .Eireann, the agent in Saorstat Eireann of the owner shall for the purposes of the Acts in their application to Saorstat Eireann be deemed to be the employer of the master and members of the crew of the 5 ship.
(.3) For the /purposes of this section, where there is more than one owner of the ship, the ^managing owner or manager shall be deemed to he the owner.

17.

—-Sub-section 6 of Section 48 of the Act of 1911 shall not Adaption of Sub- to Saorstat Eireann, and any contributions which would S6Ction 6 o£ 10 apply have been credited to the special fund therein mentioned shall be dealt with in such manner as the Insurance Commissioners mav tneActot 19U* prescribe.

48 °f.

r 18.
48 °f.

r 18.

Every power, jurisdiction or duty which was immediately Transfer of ° before the first day of April, 192*2, exercisable or to be performed powers of Joint by the Joint Committee under the Acts in respect of the area now Committee* 'within the jurisdiction of Saorstat Eireann shall henceforth be exercisable and |>erformed by the Insurance Commissioners ex­ clusively, and shall he deemed to have been so exercisable and to 20 be jierformed as on and from the first day of April, 19*2*2.

PART IV.
PART IV.

APPLICATION OF NATIONAL HEALTH INSURANCE TO SHORT-SERVICE SOLDIERS.

For t,,e P®rP08?
of providing soldiers to whom this Contributions in 25 i art ot this Act applies with such benefits during their term of respect of service and after their return to civil life as are mentioned in this Soldiers, i art of this Act, the sum of four jience and one half-penny per week shall be paid by the Minister for Defence out of moneys to be pro\ided by the Oireachtas to the Insurance Commissioners in 30 resect of 35 40 45 60 55 (a) every soldier who at the date of his enlistment was or is a member of an Approved Society; (b) every soldier who at the date of his enlistment was not a member of an Approved Society, but elects to become and becomes a member of an Approved Society in Saor- stat Eireann, in the case of a soldier enlisted before the passing of this Act, within three months after the pass­ ing of this Act, and in the case of a soldier enlisted after the passing of this Act, within three months after the date of his enlistment; (c) every soldier who prior to his enlistment was resident in Great Britain and becomes on enlistment a member of the Military Forces (International Arrangements) In­ surance Act in pursuance of this Act or any arrangements made thereunder.
(2) The weekly sums of four pence and one-half-penny pavable * under the foregoing sub-section shall commence (а) from the 1st day of April, 1922, in the case of a soldier who enlisted before that date and was at the date of enlistment a member of an Approved Society; (б) from the date of enlistment in the case of a soldier who enlisted after the 1st day of April, 1922, and was, or is, at the date of enlistment a member of an Approved Society; (c) from the -3rd day of July, 1922, or the date of enlist­ ment, whichever is the later, in the case of a soldier who enlisted before that date and was not a member of an Approved Society at the date of enlistment, but duly becomes such a member pursuant to the foregoing sub- section; 9 (</; from the date of enlistment in the case of a soldier who enlists after the passing of this Act and is not a member of.
an Approved Society at the date of enlistment, but duly becomes such a member pursuant to the foregoing sub-section; (e) from the date of enlistment in the case of a soldier who on enlistment becomes a member of the Military Forces (International Arrangements) Insurance Fund.
(3) The number of persons in respect of whom payments are to be made under the foregoing provisions of this section shall be ascertained in such manner and the sums to be paid thereunder shall be paid to the Insurance Commissioners in such manner and at such dates in each year as shall be agreed between the Insur­ ance Commissioners and the Minister for Defence.
(4) This section shall not apply to a soldier who enlisted before the age of sixteen until he attains that age, and on his attaining that age shall apply to him as if he had enlisted at the time when he had attained that age.
(5) Notwithstanding anything to the contrary in the Acts, a soldier who was or is at the date of his enlistment a De[x>sit ( on- tributor, and who does not, within three months after that date, or, in the case of a soldier who enlisted before the passing of this Act, within three months after the passing of this Act, join an Approved Society in Saorstat Eireann, shall be treated as having ceased to be an insured j>erson on and from the date of his enlist­ ment, but on his discharge or, if he dies while a soldier, on his death he shall again be treated as a Deposit Contributor, and the balance which-was to the credit of his account in the I)e|x>sit Contributors’ Fund at the date of his enlistment shall be re­ placed to the credit of his account in the said Fund.
Treatment of soldiers as Em­ ployed contribu­ tors.

20.

—A soldier in respect of whom a sum of four pence and one halt-penny per week is paid by the Minister for Defence under the provisions of this Part of this Act shall until his discharge be treated as an employed contributor subject to the following modi­ fications :— (a) The weekly sums paid by the Minister for Defence shall be treated for all purj>oses as payments of contributions at the employed rate.
(b) He shall be entitled to Maternity benefit, but not to Sickness, Disablement or Sanatorium Benefit.

(c) The date of his enlistment as a soldier, or, if he enlisted before the passing of this Act, the date of that passing shall, unless he was at the date of his enlistment an insured person, be treated as the date of his entry into insurance.
(d) There shall be credited to the Approved Society or Fund of which he is a meml>er a sum equal to five pence and one half-penny for each weekly contribution paid, and an equal sum shall be treated as having been expended on benefits, and the proper proportion thereof shall accordingly be paid out of money provided by the Oireachtas.

21.
—The Insurance Commissioners may make regulations (a) providing for the reduction to such extent and for such time as they may think fit, of the amount of Sickness or Disablement Benefit to which any insured person who, having served as a soldier, has on his discharge been granted a pension in respect of disablement in con­ sequence of his service, may be entitled in respect of his insurance under the Acts; (b) providing for payment, pending the settlement of the claim to pension of any such person, of Sickness or Dis- 10 Reduction of benefits in the case of persons entitled to pen­ sions in respect of disablement.
10 15 20 25 30 35 40 45 50 00 nbloment benefit at the tin reduced rate, and for recovery, by deduction from or suspension of any benefits which may subsequently become payable, of any sums which in consequence of such reductions have been overpaid; (c) providing for the recovery by deduction from or suspen- sion of any benefits which may subsequently become payable of any payment of Sickness or Disablement Benefit made in error to a soldier during the period of his sen ice between the first day of April, 1922. and the date of the passing of this Act; and (<h in respect of any other matters arising under this Part of this Act.
22.

—In calculating arrears of contributions for the purposes Provisions as to ot the Acts no account will be taken of any arrears accruing dur- arrears.

ing any period when the person in question has been subjected to a reduction of, or been disentitled to, Sickness and Disable­ ment Benefit by virtue of this Part of this Act.

23.
23.

—A contribution paid under this Part of this Act in respect Contributions of any week prior to the passing of this Act shall be deemed for deemed to be all purposed to have been paid in the week to which it relates.

!

*•“* 'n due course.

24.

(1) This Part ol this Act applies only to soldiers enlisted Applications and for a period not exceeding twelve months or enlisted before the definitions.

1st day of May, 1923, for a period of service which terminates on or before the 1st day of May, 1924.
(2) In this Part of this Act the word " soldier ” means a member of the Armed Forces of Saorstat Eireann of whatever rank, the word " enlist " includes becoming by any means a member of the Armed Forces aforesaid and cognate words shall he con­ strued accordingly, the word discharge ” includes ceasing by any means to he a member of the Armed Forces aforesaid and cognate words shall be construed accordingly.
(3) Every question or dispute as to whether a person is or is not a soldier within the meaning of this Part of this Act, or as to the date of the enlistment or the discharge of a soldier, shall be decided by the Minister for Defence whose decision shall be final.

PART V. MISCELLANEOUS.

25.

—(1) Section 2 of the Act of 1918 (which provides for the Abolition of establishment of the women’s Equalization Fund) shall be Women's Equal- deemed to have ceased to have effect as from the ltft day of *zat*on Fund.
January, 1922, and in the exercise of the power conferred by Section 28 of the Act of 1913 of making Regulations with respect to the crediting or varia/ion or cancellation of reserve values, regard shall he had to the provisions of this Section.

(2) Nothing in this Section shall render invalid any scheme or regulations duly made before or within six months after the passing of this Act under the said section 2 of the Act of 1918, and any scheme or regulation so made shall have full effect.

26.
—(1) Such part as the Insurance Commissioners may direct Application of of the sums which under Section 29 of the Act of 1918 (which sums unclaimed provides for the disposal of sums unclaimed in the Stamp Sales in stamp sales Account) are to he carried to the National Health Insurance ■ccount* Central Fund shall, instead of being so carried, be credited to Approved Societies in accordance with Schemes to be made by the Insurance Commissioners with the approval of the Minister for Finance, and any sums credited under this Section to an Approved Society shall he applied by the Society in such manner 11 as the scheme may provide for the purpose of preventing any members of the Society who are in arrears and to whom the schemes apply from so continuing^to be suspended from benefit.
(2) This Section shall he deemed to have been in force and shall have effect as from the 31st day of December, 1921, and shall continue in force until the 31st day of December, 1923.

27.

—The National Health (Prolongation of Insurance) Act, 1921, shall he deemed to have continued in force and to have had effect as from the 31st day of December, 1922, and shall continue in force until the 31st day of December, 1924.

28.
28.

—This Act may be cited as the National Health Insurance Act, 1923, and shall be construed as one with the National Health Insurance Acts, 1911 to 1921, and those Acts and this Act may be cited together as the National Health Insurance Acts, 1911 to 1923.

Continuance of the National Health Insurance (prolongation of Insurance) Act.

1921 Short title and construction.

\ Saorstat Eireann.

Saorstat Eireann.

BILLE UM ARACHAS SLAINTE NATIONAL HEALTH INSURANCE BILL, NAISIUNTA, 1923.

1923.
1923.

BILLE (mar do tugadh isteach) dd ngairmtear BILL (as introduced) entitled Acht chun na nAchtanna um Araclias An Act to amend and adapt the National Slainte Naisiunta, 1911 go 1921 do leasu agus Health Insurance Acts, 1911 to 1921. d’oiriunu.

An t-Aire um Airgead do thug isteach.

Introduced by the Minister for Finance.

Do horduiodh, ag Ddil Eireann, do chld-bhuala, Ordered, by Ddil Eireann, to be printed, 6adh Meitheamh, 1923.

6th June, 1923.
6th June, 1923.

/ • HAILE ATHA CLIATII: FOILLSITHE A(i 01FIQ AN tSOLATHAIR.

DUBLIN: PUBLISHED BY THE STATIONERY OFFICE.

Le ceanoach trf Messrs. Easo^ and Son, Ltd., 40 ague 41 Sriid lochtarach U( Chonaill, Bails Atha Cliath.

To be purchased through Messrs. Eason and Son, Ltd. 40 and 41 Lower O’Connell Street, Dublin.

CJ6 bhuailte ag Mastas.

Alex.

Tnox and Co., Ltd.

Printed by Messrs. Alex.

Thom and Co., Ltd. [Raol Gian.]

[oii Pence Net.]

B 392.

Wt.

809—4220.

3, 550.

6/23.