asked the Minister for Local Government and Public Health if he will state (1) what amount of the Hospital Sweep money from the draw on the Manchester November Handicap, 1931, and the Grand National, 1932, is available for county hospitals; (2) what amount is earmarked for each county and in particular for Tipperary, and (3) on what basis it is going to be allotted, whether it will be on a valuation or population basis.
Ceist—Question. Oral Answer. - Sweep Money and County Hospitals.
The amounts made available for poor law hospitals from the Sweeps on the Manchester November Handicap, 1931, and the Grand National, 1932, are £236,721 17s. 3d. and £270,158 4s. 4d., respectively. As regards the information requested at (2) and (3) in the Deputy's question, it is intended to distribute the money according to local needs with due regard to (a) area and population to be served by the institution or institutions to be improved; (b) urgency of the work proposed; and (c) local financial and economic circumstances. My Department is in communication with the local bodies in Tipperary in regard to their institutional requirements, and pending the outcome of that correspondence I cannot make a statement as to the amounts to be eventually allocated.
May I take it that the Parliamentary Secretary is aware that the allocation of these funds to the hospitals will provide a considerable amount of employment, as there are quite a number of contracts for improvement works awaiting the distribution of this money. Will the Parliamentary Secretary also see that when it becomes available it will be distributed as expeditiously as possible. As a result of the Derby Sweep, there will shortly be available a sum of £350,000 approximately for the same purpose.
In view of the fact that a great number of public boards throughout the country have had schemes prepared in anticipation of this money being available, would the Parliamentary Secretary say when it is proposed to distribute it?
This money from the Hospital Sweep is not available for public health works in the ordinary sense.
I referred to schemes prepared by public health boards.
Any delay in the distribution or release of the money that takes place will be due to the failure of local boards down the country to submit the detailed plans and specifications that are necessary before an allocation can be made. So far as my Department are concerned, we are quite prepared to make an allocation of this money immediately if we are satisfied as to the soundness of the schemes submitted.
So that if approved schemes are sent forward to the Minister the money will be available?
Yes.