asked the Minister for Health whether he will indicate his policy and the action he takes in regard to the rehabilitation and return to their former employment of persons whose recovery from tuberculosis has been medically pronounced, and if he proposes to introduce legislation to give him further powers in this matter.
Ceisteanna—Questions. Oral Answers. - Rehabilitation of Former Tubercular Patients.
Deputies are aware of the very large sum spent annually from central and local funds on the care of persons suffering from and recovering from tuberculosis. In the current year the figure amounts to almost £2,500,000. The primary object of that vast expenditure is, of course, the cure of the patient, but a most important secondary aim is to secure that he or she can again become a self-supporting member of the community.
A very large proportion of the persons who have, medically, recovered from the disease are in a position to resume their former employment and I am glad to say that most employers do all they can to facilitate the return to work of members of their staffs who have so recovered. I would regard the action of any employer who acted otherwise as lacking in humanity and as contrary to the public interest, but while a good case can be made for legislation involving compulsion in the matter, I feel that in cases in which employers fail to act voluntarily in a public-spirited manner, informed public opinion will in course of time compel them in their own interest to act humanely.
The case of persons who, after treatment, are unable to resume their former employments and have to be trained for other work is more difficult. A certain amount of progress has been made by voluntary organisations, to which great credit is due, but the measures which have been taken to date are not adequate, and I have the matter under active consideration.
Is the Minister aware that in County Donegal a patient who had recovered from tuberculosis was refused permission by the Department of Agriculture to sit for an examination for a permanent position in the Department simply because he was an ex-tubercular patient?
I should like to get more particulars about that.
I asked the Taoiseach about it in this House.