asked the Minister for Health if he will state (a) how many persons in the Dún Laoghaire-Rathdown electoral area suffering from tuberculosis have been unable to procure sanatorium treatment during the past ten years; (b) what has been the average time between the date of notification of the onset of tuberculosis and the date of admission to sanatoria for infected patients in the area; (c) how many deaths from tuberculosis have occurred amongst inhabitants in the Dún Laoghaire-Rathdown area during the past ten years; (d) if he has yet taken steps to provide adequate treatment for all persons suffering from tuberculosis.
Ceisteanna—Questions. Oral Answers. - Treatment of Tuberculosis.
The information requested at (a) and (b) is not available in my Department. I have been in touch with the local authority concerned and have ascertained that the form in which the record was kept up to recent years was such that the information could not be extracted without considerable research which would involve delays in dealing with current urgent work, including the bringing into operation in the area of the scheme of maintenance allowances for persons suffering from tuberculosis, and the dependents of such persons. I have, however, asked the local authority to extract the information in regard to the last three years and if the Deputy will repeat those parts of the question, suitably amended, in a fortnight's time, I hope to be in a position to reply.
In regard to (c), information of the type required is available in respect of the whole of the County of Dublin, including the Borough of Dún Laoghaire, and in respect of the Borough of Dun Laoghaire. It is not available in respect of the area mentioned in the question. As the available information is in the form of a tabular statement, I propose, with the permission of the Ceann Comhairle, to circulate it with the Official Report.
In regard to (d), I am taking all possible steps to increase the bed accommodation and treatment facilities available for persons suffering from tuberculosis and to encourage such persons to avail of the facilities when available. As certain of these steps are only at the preliminary stage at present, it would be inappropriate that I should announce them now but I hope to be in a position to enumerate them in detail when the Estimates for my Department are before the House in the near future.
The following is the information available regarding (c) in the question:—
Statement showing the number of deaths from all forms of tuberculosis registered during each of the years 1937 to 1946 of persons who were ordinarily resident in the County of Dublin, including Dun Laoghaire, and the number of such deaths which were of persons who were ordinarily resident in the Borough of Dún Laoghaire.
|
Years |
Dublin County (including Dún Laoghaire) |
Borough of Dún Laoghaire |
|
1937 |
169 |
39 |
|
1938 |
141 |
36 |
|
1939 |
170 |
39 |
|
1940 |
200 |
50 |
|
1941 |
164 |
49 |
|
1942 |
213 |
61 |
|
1943 |
166 |
46 |
|
1944 |
170 |
48 |
|
1945 |
179 |
40 |
|
1946 |
125 |
33 |
Will the Minister consider this matter as one of extreme urgency?
I can assure the Deputy that I am very well aware of the extreme urgency of this matter.
Is the Minister in a position to state when building operations on the new sanatorium at Abbottstown, County Dublin, are likely to begin?
That is a separate question.