asked the Minister for Health if he will state the number of persons in county homes, county hospitals and other public assistance institutions at a convenient recent date and the number maintained by public assistance authorities in approved extern institutions.
Ceisteanna—Questions. Oral Answers. - Public Assistance Statistics.
Information of the type referred to in the question becomes available in my Department only on the basis of periodic returns furnished by local authorities and in some cases it does not become available for some considerable time after the date to which it relates.
If the Deputy will refer to Appendices 1 and 11 of the Annual Report of the Department of Health for 1951-52 (Pr. 1565), he will find the information he requires in regard to county homes and persons maintained by public assistance authorities in extern institutions as on 31st March, 1952. The figures are: county homes, 8,325; extern institutions, 3,355.
In regard to fever hospitals, I have not readily available particulars of the numbers in such hospitals on that date, but the information in Appendix 9 of the report mentioned, viz., that the daily average number of occupied beds in fever hospitals in 1951-52 was 693, will probably meet the Deputy's need.
In regard to county and district hospitals, I would ask the Deputy to refer to Appendix 8 of the report mentioned which contains a considerable amount of information. If the Deputyis unable to obtain from that appendix information of the type to satisfy his present inquiry, I would be glad if he would communicate with me when I shall endeavour to get the precise information he wants.