asked the Minister for Health (a) if he has read the report of the inspector. who held the inquiry in November, 1945, into the administration of the Cork Street Fever Hospital, (b) if it is his intention to make public the contents of this report, and (c) if he will indicate the reasons for the decision to dissolve the board.
Ceisteanna—Questions. Oral Answers. - Cork Street Hospital Board.
(a) I have read and studied the report of the inspector who held the inquiry in November, 1945, into the administration of the Cork Street Fever Hospital, (b) it is not my intention to reopen this matter, which is now past history, by publishing the report, (c) the decision to dissolve the board was that of the Parliamentary Secretary then in office, and not my decision. His reasons for the decision are presumably to be found by an examination of the White Paper published by the Department (P. No. 7146). The decision was not based on nor could it be in my opinion justified by the report of the inspector. My action in restoring the board has been taken after full consideration of that inspector's report.
Is the Minister aware that the action of the last Government in dissolving the board following presentation of the inspector's report, without its publication, (a) reflected on the honour and integrity of the members of the board and (b) was open to the construction that the members of the board were incompetent and negligent in the discharge of their duties? Will the Minister, in view of the fact that these implications appear to have been wholly unwarranted and unjustified, reconsider his decision with regard to the publication of the report, in order that the general public may now be made aware of the position in detail?
I am fully conscious of the fact that the dissolution of this board reflected unfavourably on the members of the board. I think the Deputy will agree that, as I have been in a position to examine this report fully and very carefully, and, that as a result of this examination, I feel that I am fully justified in restoring the board and more particularly as I have placed the responsibility for the administration and the running of this hospital in the care of the men against whom these charges were levelled, it must appear clear to the public generally that the honour, integrity and honesty of these men could never have been questioned and that I am quite certain as Minister for Health that I can justifiably entrust the running of the hospital to these men to carry out their duties in an honourable way in the future as they have in the past. In addition, I should like to say with regard to the medical superintendent of the hospital, a man very highly thought of in professional circles and amongst the poor of Dublin, that his very high and very esteemed reputation was more than fully justified by the inspector's report.
Will the Minister make it quite clear that his remarks are equally applicable to the ladies who were on the board?
If the whitewashing is not yet exhausted, may I ask is it not a fact that the commissioner who was appointed by the Minister for Local Government ascertained that there was grave laxity in the matter of the keeping of the stores and in the administration of the hospital generally and that, as a result of the commissioner's administration, economies were introduced which not only prevented waste of public money but also enhanced the efficiency of the administration?
May I ask if the Deputy would join in the request made from this side of the House to have the report published?