asked the Minister for Health the total number of dispensary district medical officer posts which are at present vacant; and the steps it is proposed to take to fill these posts.
Ceisteanna—Questions. Oral Answers. - Dispensary Medical Officer Vacancies.
77.
There are no vacant posts of district medical officer at present; but 155 such posts are filled on a temporary basis.
In general, it is not proposed to increase the number of permanent appointments for the present, in view of the pending reorganisation of the general medical service on the basis of a choice of doctor, where such choice is practicable; but following discussions with the organisations representing the medical profession, it has been arranged to hold a competition to permit of the transfer of existing permanent district medical officers to certain other districts. That competition has recently been advertised by the Local Appointments Commission.
Does the Minister recollect telling me several months ago that the decision to confine such transfers to existing dispensary doctors had not been taken by his Department?
No, I do not recollect saying that.
The Dáil Debates will prove that that statement was made. I was surprised to get the information.
Agreement was reached in consultation with the representatives of the Irish Medical Association and the Irish Medical Union in regard to the holding of a confined competition, and that agreement was reached after my appointment, roughly about September or October.
Does the Minister not appreciate the agreement to which he has just referred means the doctors who are at present in what are considered to be bad posts will move out and that eventually the position will be very much worse than it is now? Surely that is obvious to anyone who wants to see it?
I cannot accept the assumptions in the Deputy's question. Might I suggest to him, if he has observations to make that he thinks are relevant to the situation in regard to dispensary appointments, that he take the opportunity of joining in the debate on my Estimate which is going on at the moment, and I shall have an opportunity of dealing with the matter in reply? Might I also add that I do not recall any circumstances in which I would try to mislead Deputy Tully or anybody in regard to this matter?
The Minister might not be trying to mislead me, but he did make the statement I have just quoted.
I shall have an opportunity of dealing further with that when I am replying to the debate.