asked the Minister for Health whether, in view of the importance of the preventive health services to the community and to trade and tourism and of the dissatisfaction of medical officers with these services, he will consider exercising his rights under the Local Government Act, 1941, by making regulations under Section 19, or an order under Section 29, determining the remuneration of assistant chief medical officers consistent with their qualifications, experience and responsibilities.
Ceisteanna—Questions. Oral Answers. - Assistant Chief Medical Officers.
9.
In reply to a similar question on 23rd April last, I assured the Deputy that I appreciated fully the importance of an efficient public health service and that I would continue to take all reasonable steps open to me to maintain that efficiency. I am aware that the assistant chief medical officers are dissatisfied with their present level of remuneration, but I do not consider that it would be appropriate for me to use the powers mentioned in the question to over-ride, on a nation-wide basis, the statutory powers of local authorities in relation to the remuneration of their officers. The question of the standard of our public health services is one which will fall for examination by the Select Committee in due course and I do not propose to anticipate the result of that examination by commenting now on the Deputy's suggestions in that regard.