asked the Minister for Health why the maximum period of making payments under section 25 of the Health Act, 1953, by the Dublin Health Authority to St. Patrick's Hospital, James's Street, is limited to three months.
Ceisteanna—Questions. Oral Answers. - Payments to Dublin Hospital.
111.
St. Patrick's Hospital is one of a number of private mental hospitals which are approved for the purposes of section 25 of the Health Act, 1953. This section gives persons eligible for institutional services under the Health Acts a right to a choice of hospital. The maximum period laid down for contributions by health authorities towards the cost of maintenance and treatment in private mental hospitals of persons exercising this right is three months. It was essential to fix some limit to the liability of health authorities and the fixing of this particular period was decided on in 1956 following consultations with representatives of private mental hospitals and in the knowledge that the very great majority of the patients concerned required hospital treatment for a lesser period than this.