asked the Minister for Health if he will state (a) how many beds are available for maternity cases at St. Colmcille's Hospital, Loughlinstown; (b) since what date they have been so available, and (c) when it is intended to use them for the purpose for which they were provided.
Ceisteanna—Questions. Oral Answers. - St. Colmcille's Hospital.
(a) The maternity unit at St. Colmcille's Hospital, Loughlinstown, was designed to accommodate 24 beds. (b) The unit has been available for maternity cases since the beginning of November, 1952, approximately. (c) Maternity cases will be admitted to the hospital immediately an obstetrician/gynaecologist is appointed.
asked the Minister for Health if, in view of the fact that a selection board set up by the city and county manager to consider applications for the appointment of a gynaecologist for St. Colmcille's Hospital, Loughlinstown, recommended a particular applicant, and that this recommendation was forwarded to him for sanction, he will state why sanction was refused.
Having examined the application of the marking system adopted by the selection board which showed what, to me, appeared to be certain inconsistencies, I felt that it would be preferable in the interests of maintaining public confidence in the systems of selection applying to the filling of local authority posts that the post, which is an important one, shouldbe readvertised and filled through the Local Appointments Commission.
I have informed the local authority, and now repeat, that my failure to sanction the appointment of the recommended candidate should not be interpreted as a reflection on the competence of the recommended candidate or on the integrity of the members of the selection board.
In view of the fact that the Minister refused to sanction the recommendation, how can his refusal be interpreted in any other way than as a reflection on the selection board and on the successful applicant?
No, the selection board may have made a mistake in good faith.
Is the Minister aware that the selection board consisted of competent medical doctors and of representatives of the section of the county manager's department which deals with the functions of health?
They were very reputable people.
Will the Minister say if he received representations suggesting that he should not sanction the appointment?
No. As I said in my reply, the marking appeared to be inconsistent. My attention was drawn to that, and I thought that, on the whole, the fairest thing to do was to ask the Local Appointments Commission to decide the issue.
Does it follow from the Minister's reply that, when similar appointments are to be made in the future, the Local Appointments Commission will deal with all cases?
Well, as far as possible.