Number 27 of 1961.

HEALTH (CORPORATE BODIES) ACT, 1961.

ARRANGEMENT OF SECTIONS

Number 27 of 1961.

HEALTH (CORPORATE BODIES) ACT, 1961.

Short title.

1.—This Act may be cited as the Health (Corporate Bodies) Act, 1961.

Definitions.

2.—In this Act—

“health service” means any service relating to the protection or improvement of the health of the people or the care and treatment of the sick and infirm;

“health authority” has the meaning assigned to it by virtue of the Health Act, 1947, and the Health Authorities Act, I960;

“the Minister” means the Minister for Health.

Establishment of bodies to provide health services.

3.—(1) The Minister may from time to time by order (in this Act referred to as an establishment order) establish a body to perform functions in, or in relation to, the provision of a health service or two or more health services.

(2) A body established under subsection (1) of this section shall be called and known by such title as may be specified in the establishment order.

(3) A body so established shall be a body corporate with perpetual succession and a seal and with power to sue and be sued in its corporate name and to hold land.

(4) All courts shall take judicial notice of the seal of a body so established and every document purporting to be an order or other instrument made by that body and to be sealed with its seal (purporting to be authenticated in the manner provided in the establishment order) shall be received in evidence and be deemed to be such order or instrument without further proof unless the contrary is shown.

(5) The Minister may from time to time by order amend an establishment order or an order made under this subsection.

Membership and staff.

4.—(1) Every establishment order shall contain such provisions as the Minister considers appropriate in relation to—

(a) the number of members of the body established by the order, the method, terms and conditions of their appointment and their tenure of office;

(b) the number, grades, method of appointment, conditions of service, tenure of office and the remuneration of the officers and servants of the body so established.

(2) An establishment order or an order amending an establishment order may include provisions for—

(a) the application, with the consent of the Local Appointments Commissioners, of the Local Authorities (Officers and Employees) Acts, 1926 and 1940 to appointments to offices under the body established by the establishment order as if it were a local authority but subject to any modifications specified in the order, and

(b) the application of the Local Government (Superannuation) Act, 1956 to the body as if it were a local authority but subject to any modifications (including modifications relating to service reckonable as pensionable service) which may, with the consent of the Minister for Local Government, be specified in the order.

(3) Where provision has been made in an establishment order or an order amending an establishment order for the application of the Local Government (Superannuation) Act, 1956 to a body established by an establishment order (whether with or without modifications relating to service reckonable as pensionable service) and an officer of that body becomes a pensionable officer of a local authority, subsection (1) of section 11 of that Act shall, in its application to him, be construed as if the following paragraph were added to that subsection:—

“(i) service as a pensionable officer of a body established under the Health (Corporate Bodies) Act, 1961 to which this Act has been applied under that Act or other service which would be reckonable by such body for the purposes of his superannuation”.

Functions.

5.—An establishment order shall contain such provisions as the Minister considers appropriate defining the functions of the body established by the order in, or in relation to, the provision of the health service or health services to which the order relates, and the manner in which and the conditions under which the body so established may perform the functions so defined.

Administration.

6.—An establishment order shall contain such provisions relating to the administration generally of the body established by the order as the Minister considers appropriate including provisions relating to—

(a) the meetings of the body so established and the procedure at such meetings,

(b) the use and authentication of its seal,

(c) the regulation of its finances and the keeping and auditing of its accounts, and

(d) the furnishing to the Minister by such body from time to time of information regarding the performance of its functions, and the furnishing of such information to the Minister at any time at his request.

Revocation of establishment order.

7.—(1) The Minister may at any time by order revoke an establishment order.

(2) A revoking order shall contain such provisions as the Minister thinks necessary or expedient consequential on the revocation, and, in particular, may make provision for—

(a) the dissolution of the body established by the establishment order and the transfer or distribution of the property, rights and liabilities thereof to any of the following—

(i) the Minister,

(ii) any one or more than one other body established by an establishment order,

(iii) any one or more than one health authority, or

(iv) any one or more than one joint board of health authorities established under section 45 of the Health Act, 1953,

(b) the preservation of continuing contracts made by the dissolved body,

(c) the continuance of pending legal proceedings,

(d) notwithstanding any restriction in any other Act, the transfer of the holder of any office under the dissolved body to a similar office under—

(i) a local authority, or

(ii) any other body established by an establishment order.

Reconstitution of certain companies for purposes of Act.

8.—(1) In this section “company to which this section applies” means any company under the Companies Acts, 1908 to 1959, which the Minister certifies in writing to be a company to which this section applies.

(2) Where a company to which this section applies has resolved at a meeting specially called for the purpose that the company be wound up for the purposes of this section the provisions of the Companies Acts, 1908 to 1959, in relation to the winding up of a company thereunder shall not apply to the winding up of that company.

(3) A company which has passed a resolution under subsection (2) of this section shall be deemed as on and from the dateof the resolution, or any later date stated in the resolution, not to be a company under the Companies Acts, 1908 to 1959 but a body established by an establishment order, and such an order shall, as soon as may be after the date of the resolution, be made by the Minister in respect of that body.

(4) Pending the making of an establishment order in respect of a company to which this section applies which is deemed under subsection (3) of this section to be a body so established, all provisions of the memorandum and articles of association of that company which enabled it to perform its functions shall apply as if they were contained in an establishment order.

Expenses of the Minister.

9.—The expenses incurred by the Minister in the administration of this Act shall, to such extent as may be sanctioned by the Minister for Finance, be paid out of moneys to be provided by the Oireachtas.

Laying of orders before Houses of the Oireachtas and sending of copies to members of those Houses.

10.—(1) The Minister shall cause a copy of every order made by him under this Act to be sent, as soon as may be after the order is made, to each member of each House of the Oireachtas.

(2) Every order made by the Minister under this Act shall be laid before each House of the Oireachtas as soon as may be after it is made and, if a resolution annulling the order is passed by either such House within the next seven days on which that House has sat after the order is laid before it, the order shall be annulled accordingly, but without prejudice to the validity of anything previously done thereunder.

(3) Non-compliance with subsection (1) of this section in respect of any member or members of either House of the Oireachtas shall not affect the validity, or the coming into operation, of an order made by the Minister under this Act.

Uimhir 27 de 1961.

AN tACHT SLÁINTE (COMHLACHTAÍ CORPRAITHE), 1961.

[An tiontú oifigiúil.]

Gearrtheideal.

1.—Féadfar an tAcht Sláinte (Comhlachtaí Corpraithe), 1961, a ghairm den Acht seo.

Mínithe.

1947, Uimh. 28.

1960, Uimh. 9.

2.—San Acht seo—

ciallaíonn “seirbhís sláinte” aon seirbhís a bhaineann le sláinte an phobail a chosaint nó a fheabhsú nó daoine breoite agus daoine easlána a aireachasú agus a chóireáil;

tá le “údarás sláinte” an bhrí atá sannta dó de bhua an Achta Sláinte, 1947, agus an Achta um Údaráis Sláinte, 1960;

ciallaíonn “an tAire” an tAire Sláinte.

Bunú comhlachtaí chun seirbhísí sláinte a sholáthar.

3.—(1) Féadfaidh an tAire ó am go ham le hordú (dá ngairtear ordú bunaithe san Acht seo) comhlacht a bhunú chun feidhmeanna a chomhlíonadh ag soláthar, nó maidir soláthar, seirbhís sláinte nó dhá sheirbhís sláinte nó níos mó.

(2) Aon chomhlacht a bhunófar faoi fho-alt (1) den alt seo tabharfar air agus gairfear de cibé teideal a shonrófar san ordú bunaithe.

(3) Aon chomhlacht a bhunófar amhlaidh is comhlacht corpraithe a bheidh ann le comharbas suthain agus séala agus beidh cumhacht agartha aige agus beidh sé inagartha faoina ainm chorpraithe agus beidh cumhacht aige talamh a theachtadh.

(4) Tabharfaidh gach cúirt aird bhreithiúnach ar shéala comhlachta a bhunófar amhlaidh agus gach doiciméad a airbheartóidh gur ordú nó ionstraim eile é a rinne an comhlacht sin agus a bheith séalaithe lena shéala (a airbheartóidh a bheith fíordheimhnithe sa tslí a fhorálfar san ordú bunaithe) glacfar leis i bhfianaise agus measfar gurb é an t-ordú nó an ionstraim sin é gan a thuilleadh cruthúnais mura gcruthófar a mhalairt.

(5) Féadfaidh an tAire ó am go ham ordú bunaithe nó ordú faoin fho-alt seo a leasú.

Comhaltas agus foireann.

1956, Uimh. 10.

4.—(1) Beidh i ngach ordú bunaithe cibé forálacha is dóigh leis an Aire is iomchuí maidir le—

(a) líon comhaltaí an chomhlachta a bhunófar leis an ordú, modh, téarmaí agus coinníollacha a gceaptha agus a seilbh oifige;

(b) líon, gráid, modh ceaptha, coinníollacha seirbhíse, seilbh oifige agus luach saothair oifigeach agus seirbhíseach an chomhlachta a bhunófar amhlaidh.

(2) Féadfaidh forálacha a bheith in ordú bunaithe nó in ordú ag leasú ordú bunaithe i dtaobh—

(a) Achtanna na nUdarás nAitiúil (Oifigigh agus Fostaithe), 1926 agus 1940, a chur i bhfeidhm, le toiliú na gCoimisinéirí um Cheapacháin Áitiúla, maidir le ceapacháin chun oifigí faoin gcomhlacht a bhunófar leis an ordú bunaithe ionann agus dá mba údarás áitiúil é ach faoi réir aon mhodhnuithe a shonrófar san ordú, agus

(b) an tAcht Rialtais Áitiúil (Aoisliúntas), 1956, a chur i bhfeidhm maidir leis an gcomhlacht ionann agus dá mba údarás áitiúil é ach faoi réir aon mhodhnuithe (lena n-áirítear modhnuithe maidir le seirbhís is ináirithe mar sheirbhís inphinsin) a shonrófar san ordú le toiliú an Aire Rialtais Áitiúil.

(3) I gcás ina mbeidh foráil déanta in ordú bunaithe nó in ordú ag leasú ordú bunaithe chun an tAcht Rialtais Áitiúil (Aoisliúntas), 1956, a chur i bhfeidhm maidir le comhlacht arna bhunú le hordú bunaithe (i dteannta nó d'éagmais modhnuithe maidir le seirbhís is ináirithe mar sheirbhís inphinsin) agus go ndéanfaidh oifigeach inphinsin d'údarás áitiúil d'oifigeach don chomhlacht sin, forléireofar fo-alt (1) d'alt 11 den Acht sin, mar a bheidh feidhm aige maidir leis, ionann agus dá gcuirtí an mhír seo a leanas leis an bhfo-alt sin:—

“(i) seirbhís mar oifigeach inphinsin do chomhlacht a bunaíodh faoin Acht Sláinte (Comhlachtaí Corpraithe), 1961, agus a mbeidh an tAcht seo curtha i bhfeidhm maidir leis faoin Acht sin nó seirbhís eile ab ináirithe ag an gcomhlacht sin chun críocha a aoisliúntais”.

Feidhmeanna.

5.—Beidh in ordú bunaithe cibé forálacha is dóigh leis an Aire is iomchuí ag sonrú feidhmeanna an chomhlachta a bhunófar leis an ordú ag soláthar, nó maidir le soláthar, na seirbhíse sláinte nó na seirbhísí sláinte lena mbainfidh an t-ordú, agus an modh ar a bhféadfaidh agus na coinníollacha faoina bhféadfaidh an comhlacht a bhunófar amhlaidh na feidhmeanna a shonrófar amhlaidh a chomhlíonadh.

Riarachán.

6.—Beidh in ordú bunaithe cibé forálacha i dtaobh mar riarfar, i gcoitinne, an comhlacht a bhunófar leis an ordú agus is dóigh leis an Aire is iomchuí lena n-áirítear forálacha i dtaobh—

(a) cruinnithe an chomhlachta a bhunófar amhlaidh agus an nós imeachta ag na cruinnithe sin,

(b) a shéala a úsáid agus a fhíordheimhniú,

(c) a chúrsaí airgeadais a rialú agus a chuntais a choimeád agus a iniúchadh, agus

(d) an comhlacht sin do thabhairt eolais don Aire ó am go ham i dtaobh comhlíonadh feidhmeanna an chomhlachta, agus an t-eolas sin a thabhairt don Aire aon tráth a iarrfaidh sé é.

Ordú bunaithe a chúlghairm.

1953, Uimh. 26.

7.—(1) Féadfaidh an tAire tráth ar bith ordú bunaithe a chúlghairm le hordú.

(2) Beidh in ordú cúlghairme cibé forálacha is dóigh leis an Aire a bheith riachtanach nó fóirstineach de dhroim na cúlghairme agus féadfaidh, go sonrach, foráil a bheith ann—

(a) chun an comhlacht a bunaíodh leis an ordú bunaithe a dhíscaoileadh agus maoin, cearta agus dliteanais an chomhlachta a aistriú nó a dháileadh chun aon cheann acu seo a leanas—

(i) an tAire,

(ii) aon chomhlacht amháin eile nó níos mó a bunaíodh le hordú bunaithe,

(iii) aon údarás sláinte amháin nó níos mó, nó

(iv) aon chomhbhord údaráis sláinte amháin nó níos mó a bunaíodh faoi alt 45 den Acht Sláinte, 1953,

(b) conarthaí leanúnacha a bhuanú a rinne an comhlacht díscaoilte,

(c) imeachtaí dlíthiúla a bheidh ar feitheamh a choimeád ar bun,

(d) d'ainneoin aon sriantacht in aon Acht eile, sealbhóir aon oifige faoin gcomhlacht díscaoilte a aistriú chun oifige dá samhail faoi—

(i) údarás áitiúil, nó

(ii) aon chomhlacht eile a bunaíodh le hordú bunaithe.

Cuideachtaí áirithe a athchóiriú chun críocha an Achta.

8.—(1) San alt seo ciallaíonn “cuideachta lena mbaineann an t-alt seo” aon chuideachta faoi Achtanna na gCuideachtaí, 1908 go 1959, a ndearbhóidh an tAire i scríbhinn gur cuideachta í lena mbaineann an t-alt seo.

(2) I gcás ina mbeidh cuideachta lena mbaineann an t-alt seo tar éis a bheartú le rún ag cruinniú a gaireadh go speisialta chuige sin go bhfoirceannfaí an chuideachta chun críocha an ailt seo, ansin na forálacha d'Achtanna na gCuideachtaí, 1908 go 1959, a bhaineann le cuideachta a fhoirceannadh fúthu ní bhainfidh siad le foirceannadh na cuideachta sin.

(3) Aon chuideachta a bheidh tar éis rún a rith faoi fho-alt (2) den alt seo measfar, amhail ar dháta agus ó dháta an rúin nó aon dáta eile is déanaí ná sin a luafar sa rún, nach cuideachta í faoi Achtanna na gCuideachtaí, 1908 go 1959, ach gur comhlacht í a bunaíodh le hordú bunaithe, agus déanfaidh an tAire ordú den sórt sin i dtaobh an chomhlachta sin a luaithe is féidir tar éis dáta an rúin.

(4) Go dtí go ndéanfar ordú bunaithe i dtaobh cuideachta lena mbaineann an t-alt seo a measfar faoi fho-alt (3) den alt seo gur comhlacht í a bunaíodh amhlaidh, beidh ag forálacha uile mheabhráin chomhlachais agus airteagal comhlachais na cuideachta sin a chumasaigh di a feidhmeanna a chomhlíonadh feidhm ionann agus dá mbeadh siad in ordú bunaithe.

Caiteachas an Aire.

9.—A mhéid a cheadóidh an tAire Airgeadais é, is amach as airgead a sholáthróidh an tOireachtas a íocfar an caiteachas faoina rachaidh an tAire ag riaradh an Achta seo.

Orduithe a leagan faoi bhráid Thithe an Oireachtais agus cóipeanna a chur chun comhaltaí na dTithe sin.

10.—(1) Cuirfidh an tAire faoi deara cóip de gach ordú a dhéanfaidh sé faoin Acht seo a chur, a luaithe is féidir tar éis an t-ordú a dhéanamh, chuig gach comhalta de gach Teach den Oireachtas.

(2) Gach ordú a dhéanfaidh an tAire faoin Acht seo leagfar é faoi bhráid gach Tí den Oireachtas a luaithe is féidir tar éis a dhéanta agus, má dhéanann ceachtar Teach acu sin laistigh den seacht lá a shuífidh an Teach sin tar éis an t-ordú a leagan faoina bhráid, rún a rith ag neamhniú an orduithe beidh an t-ordú ar neamhní dá réir sin, ach sin gan dochar do bhailíocht aon ní a rinneadh roimhe sin faoin ordú.

(3) Má fhágtar gan chomhlíonadh fo-alt (1) den alt seo maidir le haon chomhalta nó comhaltaí de cheachtar Teach den Oireachtas, ní dhéanfaidh sin difir do bhailíocht ordú a rinne an tAire faoin Acht seo ná d'é a theacht i ngníomh.