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Dáil Éireann debate -
Thursday, 11 Feb 1954

Vol. 144 No. 2

Ceisteanna—Questions. Oral Answers. - Hume Street Hospital— Misappropriation of Funds.

asked the Minister for Health whether the sum of £16,000 misappropriated from the funds of Hume Street voluntary hospital by an employee of the hospital board will be recouped from Hospital Trust Funds or from the Central Fund and if from the latter whether it is intended to introduce a Supplementary Estimate, in which it will be possible for Teachtaí Dála to discuss and inquire into the affairs of this voluntary hospital and into the apparent gross mismanagement which permitted such an occasion to arise.

asked the Minister for Health if, in relation to the misappropriation of a sum of approximately £16,000 from the funds in the control of Hume Street voluntary hospital board, he will state (1) whether the individual members of the board of governors are to be held responsible for the repayment of this sum to hospital funds, and (2) whether a satisfactory reason has been made available to him in explanation of the manner in which such large-scale plundering of the hospital funds was carried out without the knowledge of the managing governors or of the accredited accountants to this voluntary hospital and if these same accountants have been reappointed by the hospital board.

With your permission, a Cheann Comhairle, I propose to reply to Questions Nos. 13 and 14 together.

There can be no question of any charge on the Central Fund in respect of any sum misappropriated in the City of Dublin Skin and Cancer Hospital, Hume Street.

So far there has been no application for recoupment from the Hospitals' Trust Fund by way of deficit payment of the net sum (if any) resulting from the misappropriations after all recoverable amounts had been brought to credit. Should such an application be made, it will, in accordance with the normal practice, be considered by the Hospitals' Commission which will make a recommendation to me. Unless at that stage I feel that in principle some payment should be made, I would have no grounds for inquiring into the matters referred to in the second question, which are matters of internal administration in the hospital. I understand, however, that the hospital has recently changed its auditors.

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