asked the Minister for Health whether he will take steps to include Balgriffin and Baskin districts in the Malahide dispensary area, in view of the hardship suffered by persons from these districts who, if they need medical or surgical treatment, must travel to Coolock dispensary.
Ceisteanna—Questions. Oral Answers. - County Dublin Dispensary Service.
I am unable to appreciate the advantage to residents of Balgriffin of transfer of that area from the Coolock to the Malahide dispensary district since Balgriffin is considerably nearer to Coolock than it is to Malahide. In relation to Baskin, my information is that the area is almost as close to Coolock as it is to Malahide; but that it is considerably nearer to Cloughran, where there is a dispensary depôt, than to either. In any event, the Deputy will appreciate that in fixing the boundaries of dispensary districts, while the convenience of the public is the primary consideration, it is not always possible to ensure that at the extremities of a district the distance from a particular point to the dispensary premises for that district is not greater than the distance from that point to the dispensary premises in the adjoining dispensary district.
Is the Minister aware that the district of Baskin, which he describes in reply as being equidistant from Malahide and Coolock, is in fact seven miles from Coolock and less than two from Malahide and will he consider the possibility of establishing a separate dispensary district for this badly-served area?
My information is that the distance from Baskin to Malahide —this can be verified—is three and a half miles and from Baskin to Coolock four and a quarter miles, but I shall be glad, if the Deputy will clarify his case a little more, to have the matter investigated.