asked the Minister for Local Government and Public Health whether he is aware that during the past six months local authorities have found that, on many occasions, when they intimated to a medical candidate that he had been appointed to the position in their service for which he had made application, he was no longer available, having been appointed to a position in Great Britain; whether, in view of the serious implications of this position, he will consider: (a) discussing with local authorities a revised scale of pay and conditions of service appertaining to medical appointments, particularly in institutions; and (b) curtailing drastically the long interval that now occurs between the date on which a medical vacancy is announced and the date on which the successful candidate is offered the appointment.
Ceisteanna—Questions. Oral Answers. - Medical Appointments Under Local Authorities.
The information in my possession does not bear out the statement contained in the first part of the Deputy's question. I am informed by the Local Appointments Commissioner that in only one case during the past six months is it possible that an appointment has been declined because the candidate had been appointed to a position in Great Britain. In fact there is a movement on the part of quite a number of doctors practising in Great Britain to seek appointments in this country. The actual position therefore could not of itself be held to constitute a sufficient ground for consideration of the suggestions made in the second and third parts of the question.