asked the Minister for Health the last date on which a permanent medical dispensary officer was appointed to Arranmore Island, County Donegal; and the date on which it is hoped to make another such appointment.
Ceisteanna—Questions. Oral Answers. - Medical Officer for Arranmore Island.
8.
The last date on which a permanent district medical officer was appointed to Arranmore dispensary district was the 1st April, 1957; this doctor resigned on the 31st January, 1958.
Since 1953 the Local Appointments Commissioners have advertised the post on no fewer than six occasions but were only once successful in obtaining a doctor who would be prepared to accept the appointment to this remote district. This officer relinquished the post after ten months. The post was advertised in 1959, when double increments were offered on the normal salary scale for a district medical officer as an inducement to candidates but none was forthcoming.
I have recently approved of a proposal by Donegal County Council to pay a special allowance of £300 per annum in addition to the normal salary scale for district medical officers in respect of the post on the island and the appointment has been referred to the Local Appointments Commissioners for filling on that basis. I hope that this inducement will attract a doctor who will be prepared to live on Arranmore. The Commissioners have been asked to proceed with the competition as soon as possible but I am not in a position to indicate, at this stage, when they will be in a position to recommend a candidate for appointment.
In view of the apparent lack of interest of the Irish medical profession in this appointment, would the Minister recommend to the Local Appointments Commission that advertisements for the filling of appointments should be inserted in cross-Channel medical journals?
As a matter of fact I think over the past few months the Local Appointments Commission do advertise most of their appointments in cross-Channel newspapers.