asked the Minister for Local Government and Public Health if he would state, in respect of each of the years 1933, 1934, 1935 and 1936, the average cost per head per week of providing food only for adult inmates of (a) each county home, (b) each principal hospital in each county, and (c) each mental hospital and auxiliary mental hospital.
Ceisteanna—Questions. Oral Answers. - Cost of Food for Hospitals.
The returns of local taxation for the periods up to 31st March, 1935, show the average weekly cost of provisions and necessaries for persons in county hospitals, district hospitals and county homes in each county. The returns show separately the cost for county homes, but the information is not available for any particular county hospital as distinct from district hospitals in the county. The annual reports of the inspector of mental hospitals published for the same period show the average annual cost of provisions and groceries for patients in each district and auxiliary mental hospital. Separate returns for particular classes of persons in the institutions referred to by the Deputy are not available. The information for the year ended 31st March, 1936, is not yet complete, but the Deputy will be supplied with the particulars as soon as possible.