Terry Leyden (Fianna Fail)
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I welcome the Minister for Health and Children, Deputy Martin, to the House.

Section 1 agreed to.

NEW SECTION.

Government amendment No. 1:

In page 3, between lines 18 and 19, to insert the following new section:

2.–Section 2 of the Principal Act is hereby amended by the insertion in subsection (1) of the following definition:

'"functions" includes powers and duties and references to the performance of functions include, as respects powers and duties, references to the exercise of the powers and the carrying out of the duties;'.".

Micheál Martin (Cork South Central, Fianna Fail)
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This amendment relates to the provision of a definition of functions in the principal Act. The authority's existing functions are addressed in sections 12, 14, 15, 17, 18 and, in particular, section 21. This amendment clarifies that the authority's functions inter alia include powers and duties and it is to be construed as such. It is a technical amendment and does not change the substance of anything in the Bill.

Amendment agreed to.

SECTION 2.

Acting Chairman:

Amendments Nos. 2, 3 and 4 are related and will be discussed together by agreement. Is that agreed? Agreed.

Acting Chairman:

Government amendment No. 2:

Micheál Martin (Cork South Central, Fianna Fail)
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This amendment is to cover the authority. In all other sections we have "him" or "her". We are putting in "it" to cover the authority in the section to do with the indemnity. It does not alter the substance of the section or of any other section of the Bill. It more faithfully reflects the wording in the corresponding provision contained in the Irish Takeover Panel Act 1997.

Amendment agreed to.

Government amendment No. 3:

In page 3, line 25, after "of" to insert "its or".

Amendment agreed to.

Government amendment No. 4:

In page 3, line 31, after "by" to insert "it or".

Amendment agreed to.

Section 2, as amended, agreed to.

Sections 3 to 7, inclusive, agreed to.

Title agreed to.

Bill reported with amendments and received for final consideration.

Question proposed: "That the Bill do now pass."

Geraldine Feeney (Fianna Fail)
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There is little left for me to do. It is a short Bill. I thank the Minister for coming in today and for the work he has done on this matter. I thank his officials for the hard work they put into it and I thank all Members who contribute to the debate. We are glad the Bill has had a safe passage through this House. We will chart its passage through the Lower House with interest.

Mary Henry (Independent)
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The Minister and his officials would be delighted if every Bill from their Department passed through the House with such speed and acclaim. I am delighted the Bill has passed. BUPA still says that risk equalisation is unfair but the VHI would have to keep carrying an unjust burden for another two decades if we did not pass this Bill. I hope now that we have the authority that the risk equalisation will materialise as rapidly as possible. I congratulate the Minister and his officials on bringing forward the Bill.

Frank Feighan (Fine Gael)
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I congratulate the Minister on the Bill and thank the staff who put the Bill together. It was not a contentious Bill. I did not realise it involved community rating or risk equalisation.

I was pleased to see that the World Health Organisation praised our health insurance system as one of the three best in the world. It is the nearest to best solution we can get.

Michael McCarthy (Labour)
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I acknowledge the Minister's presence in the House. It would a better House for all of us if all legislation was as non-contentious as this and had such a speedy exit from the House.

Geraldine Feeney (Fianna Fail)
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We would not have to stay until 2.45 a.m.

Michael McCarthy (Labour)
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The Adjournment Matters still had to come after that. I thank the Minister for his input and for his thoughtful contributions.

Acting Chairman:

I thank the Minister for taking this Bill and the amendments. I thank his officials and the Senators for their co-operation in seeing this legislation through. I wish the Bill continued success in the other House.

Micheál Martin (Cork South Central, Fianna Fail)
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I thank the Leader for facilitating the passage of this Bill this afternoon. Although it is a short Bill, many of the aspects pertaining to it were of a technical nature. The unanimous endorsement of the principles underlying the Bill is important because it strengthens the Minister of the day in pursuit of the principle of community rating and risk equalisation. Even though it is a short Bill, the debate on it has been an agreeable exercise. We should not forget that the unanimity to which I refer is important.

Question put and agreed to.