asked the Minister for Local Government and Public Health if he will state whether he is aware that the compounding staff of the Galway Central Hospital and of the Galway Nos. 1 and 2 Dispensary Districts have resigned; and if he will state the reasons for these resignations.
Ceisteanna—Questions. Oral Answers. - Galway Hospital Compounding Staff.
asked the Minister for Local Government and Public Health whether he is aware that the work of the compounding staff attached to the Galway Central Hospital and the Galway Nos. 1 and 2 Dispensary Districts is heavy and increasing; if he will state what steps are being taken to establish a proper compounding system in relation to these services, and also, what staff it is intended to employ on this work and what salaries it is intended to pay such staff.
I propose to deal with the Deputy's two questions together.
The compounding staff for the Central Hospital, Galway, and the Galway (Nos. 1 and 2) Dispensary Districts, consists of one permanent compounder of medicine. I understand that he resigned towards the end of last month to take up duty as compounder for a dispensary district in Dublin.
In the year 1943, in view of the extra work involved in the care of emergency reserve stocks of medical supplies (the property of the local authority and the Minister for Defence) a temporary assistant to the compounder was employed. The assistant was continued, with a break of some six months in 1944, until the end of March last.
Instructions were issued by my Department by circular dated 18th October, 1945, that the reserve supplies belonging to local authorities should be taken into current consumption and use and it was accordingly considered that there was not any necessity for the continued employment of the assistant on the service of the local authority beyond the end of March.
As regards the compounding system for the services in Galway the only proposal submitted by the manager was one for the continued employment of an asisstant compounder beyond the end of March, but an adequate case was not made for this appointment. If convincing reasons are put forward for a permanent assistant compounder the matter will be fully considered.
Will the Parliamentary Secretary say whether the matter rests with the manager or with the elected representatives on the local authority?
The matter rests, in the first instance, with the manager. We have had no representation from him in regard to the remuneration of the permanent compounder.