asked the Minister for Health whether any financial assistance is to be made available to the Bon Secours Hospital, Cork, so that its new maternity wing may function as a teaching hospital; and, if so, when such financial aid may be expected.
Ceisteanna—Questions. Oral Answers. - Bon Secours Hospital, Cork.
I presume that what the Deputy has in mind is the possibility of making a grant available from the Hospitals' Trust Fund towards the capital cost incurred by the Bon Secours Order in providing a new maternity unit as an extension to their hospital.
The position in regard to a capital grant was decided some years ago. I am in full agreement with that decision. The order first applied for a grant in October, 1954. At that point I understand that planning of the new unit was being finalised and the order were hoping that building work could be undertaken shortly afterwards. The application was carefully considered in the light of the position of the Hospitals' Trust Fund at that time and other long-standing commitments in respect of the provision of maternity accommodation in the Cork area. The order were informed in December, 1954, that the position of the fund would not permit of any financial assistance being made available towards the cost of the project and that it had been decided that within the limited funds available the authorities of Erinville Hospital who had been pressing for many years for assistance to enable them to improve the very unsatisfactory accommodation in their present hospital should be assisted to provide such accommodation on the existing site.
The Bon Secours Order proceeded with the new extension notwithstanding the decision that a grant could not be made available. They repeated their application on a number of occasions subsequently but there was no alternative to informing them that the earlier decision could not be altered.
There was never any doubt in their minds as to what the position was? They were informed well in advance and persisted in going ahead with that plan?
That is so.