asked the Minister for Health whether he is aware that in some counties the cost of nourishment is deducted from the health allowances made to certain recipients in the domiciliary treatment class and should such cases be brought to his notice whether he will take steps to have them rectified.
Ceisteanna—Questions. Oral Answers. - Health Allowances.
I would draw the Deputy's attention to the reply to a similar question by Deputy Seán Dunne on the 27th October, 1949, in which the Minister intimated that health authorities have discretion, where the circumstances of a particular case so warrant it, not to abate an allowance by the value of food vouchers issued; in which he repeated his previous request to those authorities that they should administer the regulations with full regard to the necessity for mitigating hardship; and that if any cases of unsympathetic interpretation of the regulations should come to the notice of Deputies, the Minister would be glad to have them investigated.
In my experience the direction does not seem to be sufficiently strong to induce the officials to carry out their instructions in a certain way. Would the Minister send down a more stern and rigid Order which they would have to obey?
Dictatorial.
The co-operation of every Deputy is invited in the reply.
I assure the Minister that I will give him some names after question time.
Dictators!