John Moloney (Laois-Offaly, Fianna Fail)

Amendment No. 2 corrects a typographical error in the Health Acts. The error in question is in section 53(1B) of the Health Act 1970, as inserted by the Nursing Homes Support Scheme Act 2009. That section incorrectly refers to section 6(2)(c) of the Nursing Homes Support Scheme Act. It should read section 6(1)(c), as that is the correct cross-reference. Amendment No. 3 is consequential upon amendment No. 2. It amends the Long Title of the Bill to reflect that the Bill will amend the Health Act 1970.

Amendment No. 1 is essentially a technical drafting amendment. The Bill currently provides for the commencement of provisions by ministerial order, with the exception of section 62 of the Bill, as passed by Dáil Éireann. It is proposed that certain other sections will also now come into operation on enactment. These are section 60, the proposed new section 61 and sections 62, 63 and 64 as renumbered.

Section 60 provides for the transfer of ministerial responsibility for the local government superannuation scheme, health sector, from the Minister for the Environment, Heritage and Local Government to the Minister for Health and Children. Section 61 is the proposed new section which corrects a typographical error in the Health Act 1970. Section 62 - section 61 in the most recent printed copy of the Bill - amends the Hepatitis C Compensation Tribunal Act 1997 to remove age limits for travel insurance benefit provided in accordance with that Act. Section 63 - section 62 in the most recent printed copy of the Bill - provides for an amendment to the Mental Health Act 2001 in order to address difficulties in the operation of the Act that have arisen following a recent High Court judgment. Section 64 - section 63 in the most recent printed copy of the Bill - makes technical drafting amendments to the Health Act 2007.

The Minister believes that these particular provisions should come into operation as soon as possible and is therefore proposing that the Bill provide for this to facilitate timely and efficient commencement. Other provisions of the Bill are different in nature and will come into operation at different times and by ministerial order. I ask Senators to support those technical amendments.