asked the Minister for Health if he will state the increased levy on ratepayers in each county, urban and city area as a result of Circular Letters 32/51 and 34/51, dated 4th and 17th May, 1951, issued by his Department to all local authorities and, further, the increased liability of the State under the Health Act, 1947, in respect of these circulars.
Ceisteanna—Questions. Oral Answers. - Local Authority Charges.
As the reply to this question includes a large amount of statistical information in the form of a tabular statement, I propose, a Cheann Comhairle, with your permission, to circulate it with the Official Report.
The reply is as follows:—
It is not possible to state the increased levy on ratepayers nor the increased liability of the State arising solely from the grant by local authorities of the increases in temporary bonus payable to their employees in accordance with the circular letters referred to. The additional charges in this respect are included in health expenditure for the purposes of the Health Services (Financial Provisions) Act, 1947, and, in common with the other expenses of the recognised health services, they are recouped to each health authority to an extent dependent on the level of its total health expenditure in each financial year and the level of the corresponding net expenditure which fell on local funds in the year 1947-48 (i.e., the "Standard Expenditure"). By the operation of the Health Services (Financial Provisions) Act, 1947, the excess of expenditure of each health authority on recognised health services over the corresponding standard expenditure is recouped in full from the Vote for Health up to the point where such excess is equal to the standard expenditure; beyond that point recoupment is at the rate of 50 per cent. In respect of the years 1950-51 and 1951-52 it is estimated that the expenditure of health authorities exceeded the equivalent of twice the respective standard expenditure figures to the extent indicated in columns (4) and (5) of the appended tabular statement. It is estimated that in the year 1952-53 the expenditure of all but ten health authorities will exceed the equivalent of twice the respective standard expenditure figures.
Following is the tabular statement:—
|
Health Authority |
Estimated amount of additional temporary bonus paid in pursuance of Circular Letters Nos. 32/51 and 34/51 |
Estimated amount by which total health expenditure exceeded the equivalent of twice the Standard Expenditure |
||
|
Year |
Year |
Year |
Year |
|
|
1950-51 |
1951-52 |
1950-51 |
1951-52 |
|
|
(1) |
(2) |
(3) |
(4) |
(5) |
|
£ |
£ |
£ |
£ |
|
|
Carlow County Council |
1,569 |
4,376 |
||
|
Cavan ,, ,, |
3,618 |
9,012 |
||
|
Clare ,, ,, |
4,112 |
10,209 |
9,900 |
|
|
Cork ,, ,, |
9,504 |
23,640 |
||
|
Donegal ,, ,, |
4,139 |
12,851 |
933 |
6,850 |
|
Dublin ,, ,, |
4,863 |
14,963 |
2,055 |
|
|
Galway ,, ,, |
8,547 |
21,134 |
8,045 |
|
|
Kerry ,, ,, |
6,369 |
15,395 |
1,350 |
|
|
Kildare ,, ,, |
3,506 |
8,482 |
||
|
Kilkenny ,, ,, |
3,509 |
8,640 |
||
|
Laoighis ,, ,, |
2,720 |
6,935 |
||
|
Leitrim ,, ,, |
2,244 |
6,447 |
||
|
Limerick ,, ,, |
3,950 |
10,939 |
||
|
Longford ,, ,, |
1,997 |
5,694 |
||
|
Louth ,, ,, |
3,118 |
8,734 |
||
|
Mayo ,, ,, |
5,502 |
13,331 |
23,300 |
|
|
Meath County Council |
3,576 |
8,681 |
||
|
Monaghan ,, ,, |
2,999 |
8,220 |
||
|
Offaly ,, ,, |
2,550 |
6,627 |
||
|
Roscommon ,, ,, |
3,241 |
8,138 |
5,750 |
|
|
Sligo ,, ,, |
3,464 |
9,629 |
||
|
Tipperary (N.R.) Co. Council |
2,645 |
7,490 |
||
|
Tipperary (S.R.) Co. Council |
4,071 |
9,750 |
||
|
Waterford County Council |
3,194 |
6,042 |
||
|
Westmeath ,, ,, |
1,976 |
9,942 |
||
|
Wexford ,, ,, |
4,533 |
12,230 |
||
|
Wicklow ,, ,, |
2,396 |
8,781 |
||
|
Cork Corporation |
3,610 |
8,842 |
15,294 |
|
|
Dublin ,, |
30,134 |
86,227 |
1,363 |
59,242 |
|
Limerick ,, |
2,736 |
6,474 |
8,710 |
12,471 |
|
Waterford ,, |
1,182 |
2,296 |
||
|
TOTAL |
141,574 |
380,151 |
11,006 |
144,257 |