asked the Minister for Health if he will state the number of district institutions in the Republic, including county homes, district hospitals and fever hospitals, and the salary paid to the medical officer attached to each institution.
Ceisteanna—Questions. Oral Answers. - District Institutions.
The Deputy will find in Appendices eight, nine and ten of the report of the Department of Health for 1951/52 (Pr. 1565) detailed particulars of the 151 institutions referred to in the question. I am assuming that the Deputy does not require particulars in regard to local authority T.B. hospitals.
The compilation of the information requested in the second part of the question would involve a considerable expenditure of time and labour having regard to the number of institutions and the variety of special conditions attaching to the appointments, e.g., whole time or part-time, use of beds for private patients, facilities for consultant practice, provision of residence or other emoluments in kind. In any event, the publication of such particulars in the manner suggested would inevitably encourage comparisons and conclusions which would not be justified in the absence of adequate information as to the special circumstances or conditions applying to the hospital or to the appointment.