asked the Minister for Health whether in view of the fact that a large part of the income of voluntary hospitals in Dublin is derived from the Hospitals' Trust Fund which is under his control, and from capitation fees by local health authorities who are recouped by him as to fifty per cent. out of voted moneys in respect of patients for whom they have assumed responsibility, he will see his way to impressing on the authorities of those hospitals the desirability of recruiting their staffs on merit alone.
Ceisteanna—Questions. Oral Answers. - Staffs of Voluntary Hospitals.
7.
I am in full agreement with the Deputy that recruitment of staffs of voluntary hospitals should be on merit alone, but I have no direct functions in regard to the matter.
If the Deputy will refer to subsection (5) of Section 25 of the Public Hospitals Act, 1933, he will note that when I make a grant from the Hospitals' Trust Fund to a hospital, I am expressly precluded from attaching to such grant any condition relating to the appointment, dismissal or control of the hospital staff.
Before any hospital can be availed of for the treatment of local authority patients, my approval of the hospital is necessary and such approval will not be given, or continued, by me where I am not satisfied that the staffing of the hospital is on a satisfactory basis.
I wonder if the Minister would indicate to the Deputy who asked the question—as he is not in the House—that voluntary hospitals provide the main portion of the services for patients under the Health Act and that public representatives might assist the health services more by recognition of the work these hospitals are doing rather than by ill-informed criticism of a tendentious character?
That seems to be entirely irrelevant.