asked the Minister for Health (a) the total number of dispensary districts in the country, (b) the number of dispensary doctors appointed to such districts in a permanent capacity, and (c) the number of such districts in which, at the moment, the service is provided by a temporary doctor.
Ceisteanna—Questions. Oral Answers. - Dispensary Doctors.
8.
There are 582 dispensary districts in the country. Some dispensary districts are served by more than one district medical officer and in the case of others one district medical officer serves more than one district.
According to the latest information available in my Department there are 573 permanent district medical officers in the health authority service. There are 88 dispensary districts in which temporary district medical officers are serving.
Will the Minister indicate whether, in view of the existence of the Select Committee to which he has referred, these temporary positions will continue to be temporary or whether they will be made permanent pending the Report of the Health Committee?
As it is undesirable that positions should remain on a temporary basis for a long period, I do not think there is any justification for departing from the existing arrangement whereby temporary positions are supposed to be filled only for a short period. Therefore, the Local Appointments Commissioners are making arrangements to fill 55 of the present temporary positions.
Is it the position that, although a Select Committee of this House has been asked to report on whether the existing dispensary system should be continued, the Minister is going to proceed to fill a large number of temporary positions on a permanent basis although the Committee has not yet reported?
What the Minister proposes to do is to continue the status quo as it exists until the Committee reports it ought to be changed.
Again there is an umbrella set up. This Committee is intended to be an umbrella.
But he only opens it when it suits him.