asked the Minister for Health the number of dispensaries and dispensary depots requiring replacement in the country at the beginning of 1960, and the number listed to be built during the year.
Ceisteanna—Questions. Oral Answers. - Replacement of Dispensaries and Dispensary Depots.
2.
The information, which is not readily available in my Department, is being sought from local authorities. If the Deputy will repeat his Question in a fortnight, I hope to be in a position to furnish the required particulars.
I should add that the question of whether particular dispensaries or dispensary depots should be replaced or improved is often one of opinion and that it may not, therefore, be possible to indicate precise replacement requirements for the whole country by reference to a particular date. As the Deputy is no doubt aware, the campaign for the replacement of unsuitable dispensaries and depots was intensified about eight years ago with the offer from my Department of grants from the Hospitals' Trust Fund over a period towards the expenditure involved. Considerable progress in new dispensary building was made during the period of five years when the grant provision operated and most of the urgent cases of replacement have been disposed of. Under existing arrangements, when approval in principle is accorded for the replacement of a dispensary or depot, the local authority concerned may proceed with the scheme without reference of planning documents to my Department.