asked the Minister for Health if he will state in respect of each mental hospital committee the number of members thereof and the number of such members that must be members of any such, and, if so, of what local authority and the number of meetings held by each such committee in the year 1952.
Ceisteanna—Questions. Oral Answers. - Mental Hospital Committees.
There are 18 mental hospital districts, seven of which are administrative counties and 11 joint districts. The county council is the mental hospital authority for the districts which are administrative counties and the joint board for the joint districts.
The joint boards and the numbers of members respectively are: Ballinasloe, 24; Carlow, 24; Clonmel, 22; Cork, 26; Grangegorman, 36; Limerick, 19; Monaghan, 14; Mullingar, 22; Portlaoise, 19; Sligo, 22; Waterford, 19.
In accordance with the rules contained in the Third Schedule to the Mental Treatment Act at least two-thirds of a joint board must be respectively members of the corporation or county council by whom members of the board are appointed.
Rule 14 of the rules referred to provides that a board shall hold meetings for the transaction of their business at least once in each quarter and at such other times as may be necessary for properly exercising their powers and performing their duties. Information as to the number of meetings held by each board in the year 1952 is not available in my Department.