asked the Minister for Local Government and Public Health if he will state the total sum under the control of the Hospitals' Commission at this date and indicate the manner in which these moneys will be allocated or otherwise disposed of.
Ceisteanna—Questions. Oral Answers. - Hospitals Commission Moneys.
The total moneys at present in the hands of the National Hospitals Trustees amount to £4,382,322. The moneys will be allocated from time to time as reports are received from the Hospitals Commission. Under Section 24 of the Public Hospitals Act, 1933, each application for a grant from the Hospitals Trust Fund must be referred to the Hospitals Commission for investigation and report, and the Minister must await the report of the Commission before dealing with any such application. A considerable number of applications is being investigated by the Commission and the Minister cannot say how they will be dealt with individually until he receives and considers the reports of the Commission thereon. As regards voluntary hospitals, however, it should be remembered that while the Minister has to provide for schemes of improvement he must also bear in mind the necessity for the continued maintenance and running of the hospitals. Provision for the latter is likely to necessitate the accumulation of a substantial capital sum for endowment purposes. The deficit for the year ended 31st December, 1934, on the working of the hospitals in respect of which applications have been received was £60,886. On the basis of the gross deficits for the year 1934 it is estimated that the sum required for endowment would be £3,300,000.