asked the Minister for Health if he will state how the sum of £1,340,000 for extension of health services as provided in the Estimates for Public Services, 1954-55, is made up; and, further, what new services, if any, this expenditure will cover, the cost of each new service and when it is estimated each new service will come into operation.
Ceisteanna—Questions. Oral Answers. - Health Services.
The maternity cash grants provided for in Section 23 of the Health Act, 1953, came into operation on 1st January last. The remaining major new services will be brought into operation as follows:—
|
Hospital and Specialist Services and Institutional Services at choice of patient, Medical Care for Mothers, Infant Welfare Services and Milk for Mothers and Children (Sections 15, 16, 17, 24 and 25) |
1st August, 1954 |
|
Maintenance Allowances for disabled persons (Section 50 (5)) |
1st October, 1954 |
|
Optical, etc., Services (Sections 20 and 21) |
1st January, 1955 |
As the Deputy is aware, various other services at present provided under other codes (e.g. public assistance services, school medical services) are in process of continuous improvement and further improvement will be facilitated by the replacement of the existing statutory authority for those services in the more comprehensive Health Act, 1953. The relevant sections of the Act, which, of course, are sections additional to those I have already mentioned, will be brought into operation at suitably early dates. The cash provision necessary as a result of such improvements, amounting to £155,000, is made under the old headings in the Estimates.
The aggregate provision for these new services and extensions of existing services, is, therefore, £1,495,000. I propose, a Cheann Comhairle, with your permission, to circulate with the Official Report a statement showing the distribution of that sum amongst the various services.
The following is the statement:—
|
£ |
|
|
Hospital and Specialist Services (including Section 25 payments) |
580,000 |
|
Maternity and Midwifery Services |
290,000 |
|
Milk for Mothers |
125,000 |
|
Disability Allowances |
225,000 |
|
Maternity Cash Grants |
90,000 |
|
Other Services, including optical, dental, school, health and nursing services |
185,000 |
Would the Minister show to what date these particular services are estimated? On what date will these services come into operation?
I have given that information.