asked the Minister for Local Government and Public Health if he is aware that recently 34 persons declared to be suffering from paratyphoid fever were removed by order of the public health authorities from their homes to Clonskeagh and Cork Street Fever Hospitals; and if in view of the financial losses caused to these citizens by loss of wages, he will recommend compensation for them and for any such other cases that may arise in the future.
Ceisteanna—Questions. Oral Answers. - Paratyphoid Fever Cases.
The Corporation of Dublin as sanitary authority is the body responsible for dealing with outbreaks of fever. The information which my Department has obtained from the corporation indicates that 25 persons were diagnosed as suffering from paratyphoid fever following examination at the public health department of the corporation where they attended, and that they were subsequently admitted to hospital. In the case of nine persons who were under the care of their family doctors, they were admitted to the hospital on the recommendation of their medical attendants. The Deputy should be aware that there is no power conferred on the Minister which would empower him to recommend payments out of the funds of the local authority. Any compensation payable would be a matter for determination by the local authority in the exercise of legal powers applicable thereto.
The Parliamentary Secretary says that the Deputy should be aware that his Department has no power to do certain things. Will the Parliamentary Secretary seek for and get power to compensate people who are taken from their work and put into a hospital for six or seven weeks while their rents and expenses are running up? What are they to do? The Parliamentary Secretary is the person who should get the power, and not the Deputy, who can only ventilate the grievance.
As I said in the last sentence of my reply, any compensation payable would be a matter for determination by the local authority in the exercise of legal powers applicable thereto.
If the local authorities say they have no power to compensate these people, what are they to do?
I am not aware that the local authorities have said so.
Can I tell the city manager that they have power?
asked the Minister for Local Government and Public Health whether it is proposed to compensate persons for loss of wages or other income sustained by them through the actions of local public health authorities in removing them to hospital for observation as suspected contact cases where there have been outbreaks of typhoid fever and food poisoning.
Any compensation payable in such cases would be a matter for determination by the local authority in the exercise of legal powers applicable thereto. There is no power vested in the Minister which would enable him to deal with the matter.
Is the Parliamentary Secretary not aware that there is power under the Public Health (Ireland) Acts to afford such compensation and will he advise the city manager that such is the case?
If there is such power, it is a matter for the local authority to exercise it.