PART I.

Preliminary and General.

1. —(1) This Act may be cited as the National Health Insurance Act, 1947.

(2) The National Health Insurance Acts, 1911 to 1942, and this Act may be cited together as the National Health Insurance Acts, 1911 to 1947.

2. —(1) In this Act—

the expression “the Acts” means the National Health Insurance Acts, 1911 to 1942;

the expression “the Act of 1911” means the National Insurance Act, 1911;

the expression “the Act of 1918” means the National Health Insurance Act, 1918;

the expression “the Act of 1923” means the National Health Insurance Act, 1923 (No. 20 of 1923);

the expression “the Act of 1936” means the National Health Insurance and Widows' and Orphans' Pensions Act, 1936 (No. 12 of 1936);

the expression “British Forces” means any forces, being—

(a) the Naval, Military or Air Forces of Great Britain, or

(b) any nursing or other auxiliary service of any of those Forces;

the expression “the British Government” means the Government of the United Kingdom;

the expression “the Defence Forces Act” means the Defence Forces (Temporary Provisions) Act, 1923 (No. 30 of 1923);

the expression “the Fund” means the Military Forces (International Arrangements) Insurance Fund constituted under section 14 of the Act of 1923;

the expression “the Minister” means the Minister for Social Welfare;

the expression “the No. 381 Order” means the Emergency Powers (No. 381) Order, 1946 (S. R. & O., No. 179 of 1946):

the expression “the Permanent Force” means the force established under Part I of the Defence Forces Act;

the word “pension” includes an award or an allowance;

the expression “the Reserve Force” means the reserve force established under Part III of the Defence Forces Act;

the expression “the Society” means Cumann an Árachais Náisiúnta ar Shláinte;

the expression “the United Kingdom” means the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland;

the expression “war disablement” means any disablement arising out of—

(a) any war in which the United Kingdom was or is a belligerent and which commenced on or after the 3rd day of September, 1939, and before the 14th day of June, 1946, or

(b) conditions attributable to any such war.

(2) References in this Act to any enactment shall be construed as references to that enactment as amended by any subsequent enactment.

(3) This Act shall be construed as one with the Acts.