Dáil Éireann debate -
Wednesday, 25 Nov 1931

Vol. 40 No. 16

Private Deputies' Business. - Public Charitable Hospitals (Amendment No. 3) Bill, 1931—Second Stage.

Mr. Anthony

I beg to move the Second Reading of the Public Charitable Hospitals (Amendment No. 3) Bill, 1931. The hospital mentioned in the second section of this Bill is the Eye, Ear and Throat Hospital, Wellington Road, Cork. It has for many years catered for the poorest class of patients. Over 60 per cent. of the beds have been occupied by patients who pay nothing. They are supported by poor law institutions, public bodies and private subscriptions. Early this year this hospital made application to be included in the original Bill. It was then thought that they were not strictly eligible, but since that time other hospitals have come in because of certain other regulations made regarding the qualifications necessary for participation in the Sweepstake. To show what very useful work is carried out in this institution I will give you a few figures. I do not want to overload my statement with figures, but I think it is essential that the House should know the useful work this institution is doing, and the number of patients treated. The number of free extern patients during 1929 was 4,213. The number of intern patients treated during the same year was 817; the attendances at the extern department total 11,791. This hospital is without endowment or grant of any kind. It is supported by voluntary subscriptions from the public, payments from patients, from public bodies and from private patients. The large number of free patients—roughly over 4,000 per annum—treated at the extern department would alone suffice to satisfy any reasonably-minded person that they are entitled to come under the provisions of the Public Charitable Hospitals Act.

The great majority of the special affections treated in this hospital do not require admission to the wards, but a large number of cases treated are first extern cases and are subsequently admitted to the hospital and occupy beds in it. There is a very considerable and increasing overdraft at the bank, and most, if not all, of the money was secured during the war period, when it was rather difficult to get money in certain directions. At the moment, funds are very urgently needed for this hospital, which, as I have already stated, is doing a lot of useful work.

I think the medical profession will endorse this statement when I say that the persons treated there have been very excellently served by the many famous men who have passed through that institution. Many have gained world-wide fame in their profession; and the services that those professional men gave not alone to the people of Cork but to the people of adjoining counties certainly deserve the sympathetic consideration of this House. People from outside the city are treated there. They come from Kerry, Tipperary and the neighbouring counties. The services there are very good and efficient. The hospital possesses all the necessary qualifications for participating in the Hospitals Sweepstake.

Mr. Barry Egan

I wish to second the motion. I would like to point out as well that a similar hospital in Dublin has recently been included in the Hospitals Bill. That is the Royal Victoria Eye, Ear and Throat Hospital. If the matter is examined, I think it will be found that on the same grounds the Cork Hospital can, without any difficulty, be included.

Mr. Fitzgerald-Kenney

I personally do not know anything about the merits or demerits of this hospital, but I agree with what Deputy Egan said, that on the figures which have been put forward by Deputy Anthony there are no grounds on which we could fairly discriminate between the Cork Eye and Ear Hospital and the Dublin one. I venture to hope that it is the last hospital which will come forward asking for special Bills, because really any hospital that wishes to participate in this scheme has had an ample opportunity to put its claim forward. I say I hope that this is the last time we will be troubled with these Bills.

Mr. S.T. O'Kelly

I am glad that the Minister has accepted the Bill brought in by Deputy Anthony and Deputy Barry Egan. Like the Minister, I have no personal knowledge of the hospital mentioned, but I have been told on reliable authority that it does work of a similar kind to the Eye, Ear and Throat Hospital here in Dublin, which as a special hospital was included. Cork thought its hospital should be included likewise. I am told it is a hospital which pays very special attention to the poor, and that without it poor patients would often be in a bad way. I do not know whether it is the last hospital that will apply. Possibly it is not. I hope if some others do come along that the Minister will keep in mind that they are doing good work and give them careful consideration.

Sir James Craig

I support the Second Reading of this very heartily. There is no doubt whatsoever that the hospital referred to is doing excellent work in the South of Ireland. The Royal Eye and Ear Hospital was taken in though they were not able to come under the terms of the original Act, as they were not showing 25 per cent. of treatment of the poor at 10/- per week. I see no reason why this hospital should not be brought in.

The only thing I would like to know from Deputy Anthony is what the total income of the hospital is and in what proportion contributions come in from private persons and public bodies. That would have been a desirable statement. However, it has not been made, and perhaps Deputy Anthony does not know what these figures are. I would like personally to know what voluntary support the hospital gets from the public. I support the Second Reading very heartily, but if Deputy Anthony is able to give the figures here I will be very pleased.

Dr. Hennessy

I am very glad that the Minister decided to accept the Bill. This hospital does work for practically every county in Munster and it is also the clinical hospital for University College, Cork. Medical students take out most of their lectures there.

Mr. Corry

I would like to support the Bill. Undoubtedly not alone from all over Cork County, but from other counties in Munster, the poor are attended free practically in this hospital. It has been a great boon to the poor of Cork and of Munster. I am very glad that the Bill has been brought in. I can assure the Minister that we have a few more hospitals in Cork that he will hear of in a very short time. I believe that this Sweepstakes money should be applied to every hospital where the need for it arises, and that we cannot give too much assistance to those who had to bear a very heavy burden for a great number of years. I heartily support the Bill.

Question put and agreed to.

Bill read a Second Time.