asked the Minister for Local Government and Public Health whether he is aware that in certain areas, where agreements are in operation between the insurance committee and the local authority for the area for the provision of treatment for insured and eligible tubercular persons, instructions have been issued by his Department to the responsible local authority to the effect that if, and when, in any year the proportion of the Sanatorium Benefit Fund allocated to that area for the provision of institutional treatment has been expended on institutional treatment of insured persons, insured persons recommended by the medical adviser for that form of treatment are to be dealt with under the County Tuberculosis Scheme on the same terms and conditions as uninsured persons; whether he is aware that the effect of this instruction is that such insured persons are required to contribute further towards the cost of their treatment on the same terms and conditions as uninsured persons who have made no such contribution; whether he is aware that a further effect of this instruction is that insured persons applying for sanatorium benefit in the earlier part of the year receive in full the benefit accruing to them from the fund, whereas those applying later on are deprived of all benefit from it; and whether the Minister proposes to take any steps in this matter.
CEISTEANNA—QUESTIONS. ORAL ANSWERS. - INSURED TUBERCULAR PERSONS.
The answer to the first part of the question is in the affirmative. As regards the second part, persons who receive treatment under Section 11 of the Tuberculosis Prevention Act, 1908, are required to contribute towards the cost of such treatment if their financial resources permit. As stated in reply to the last question, the matter generally is under consideration in conjunction with the recommendation contained in the Final Report of the Committee of Inquiry into Health Insurance and Medical Services.