asked the Minister for Health (a) the amount of the deficits on each of the following voluntary hospitals met from the Hospitals' Trust Fund for the last year for which figures are available: (i) Cork South Infirmary (ii) Cork North Infirmary (iii) Victoria Hospital Cork (iv) Mercy Hospital Cork and (v) any other institutions in the functional area of the Cork Health Authority; and (b) the total amount paid from the Hospitals' Trust Fund for all deficits of all voluntary hospitals within the State.
Ceisteanna—Questions. Oral Answers. - Hospitals Deficits.
9.
Hospital accounts are prepared on the basis of calendar years. The latest year for which audited figures are available is the year 1960. In that year, the total of the deficits of the Cork voluntary hospitals as ascertained by the Hospitals' Commission was £77,362, all of which was paid in full. The aggregate amount of grants towards deficits for all the voluntary hospitals in the State in respect of that year is £1,436,900.
Estimates furnished by the hospitals in respect of the year 1961 would indicate that, apart from the recent salary increases, the deficits of the Cork voluntary hospitals will not in the aggregate be significantly different from the 1960 figures, but the salary increases will raise that figure by about £30,000.
It is estimated that the aggregate amount which will be paid on foot of voluntary hospital deficits from the Hospitals' Trust Fund during the current financial year, ending on 31st instant, will be no less a sum than £2,140,000, made up of balances in respect of years prior to 1961, and payments on account in respect of 1961 deficits, including payments in respect of salary increases in that year.
I propose, with your permission, a Cheann Comhairle, to circulate with the Official Report, a table showing the 1960 deficits of the individual Cork Hospitals met from the Hospitals' Trust Fund.
Following is the table:
AMOUNTS paid in respect of deficits of Cork voluntary hospitals in respect of the year 1960.
|
£ |
|
|
Mercy Hospital |
6,478 |
|
North Charitable Infirmary |
17,351 |
|
South Charitable Infirmary |
20,201 |
|
Erinville Maternity Hospital |
15,473 |
|
Eye, Ear and Throat Hospital |
11,768 |
|
St. Patrick's Hospital |
3,460 |
|
Clifton Convalescent Home |
1,696 |
|
Victoria Hospital |
935 (a) |
|
£77,362 |
|
(a) The Victoria Hospital participated in the deficits scheme only to a limited extent in 1960.