asked the Minister for Health whether the person who on 2nd January, 1958, submitted verbally or in writing to his Department a statement relating to the treatment of a post-polio patient was officially entitled to submit such statement in view of the fact that he was not then County Medical Officer of Health for Cork County, whether he acted on the basis of this statement and, if so, why; and whether he had the matter investigated independently of the statement.
Ceisteanna—Questions. Oral Answers. - Treatment of Cork Polio Patient.
The officer who, in reply to an inquiry addressed to him by an officer of my Department, submitted a statement on 2nd January last relating to the treatment of the post-polio patient mentioned was, at all the relevant times, from the date when the alleged incidents complained of took place up to the date the patient resumed treatment on 9th October last, the County Medical Officer for Cork County and was, in my opinion, the person best fitted to supply the facts concerning the treatment of this child in the period referred to.
I considered this statement amongst others which were submitted to me in connection with my investigation of the matter.
Is the Minister aware that the official concerned made statements last summer which were completely contradictory of the statements submitted on the 2nd January and is the Minister also aware of the fact that, by accepting the statement of the 2nd January, he has contravened in every possible way the County Management Act in that the county manager had not been informed in any way whatsoever about the statement being submitted?
All I can do in reply to the Deputy's questions is to give him a comprehensive "no".
Will the Minister kindly repeat that? I fail to understand what he has been mumbling about.
I am sorry to hear that my enunciation is indistinct. The Deputy asked me a considerable number of supplementaries and I gave him one comprehensive answer—"no".
Is the Minister aware that in this House already he has made a statement saying that he was giving full information on this, and that he has deliberately ignored it and has refused to answer this question even last Thursday?
On a point of order. My recollection is, Sir, that the question the Deputy put down for last Thursday was not quite in the form in which the Chair thought it should appear on the Order Paper. I may be wrong in that.
Certainly, the Minister is wrong, and he knows it.
No, I do not know it.