asked the Minister for Health if he will examine the question of the unsatisfactory arrangements for securing permanent doctors for the islands of Aran and Boffin and for Carna and other isolated areas of the west coast; and if he will make a statement as to the future arrangements for filling these posts.
Ceisteanna—Questions. Oral Answers. - West Galway Medical Posts.
56.
I am aware of the difficulties experienced in obtaining permanent doctors for such areas. Special arrangements were made to exempt some of these areas from the general restriction on appointments of permanent district medical officers but when the posts were advertised there were no suitable applicants for them. Further advertisement of such posts is being considered.
In the new arrangements for the general medical service, special care will be given to offering all reasonable inducements for doctors to take appointments in remote areas such as those mentioned by the Deputy.
The Minister is aware that the 2,000 souls on the Aran Islands are at the moment without a doctors. On the main island, they have not even got a nurse. Can the Minister state what immediate arrangement he has made to cater for this situation? In view of the heavy medical register in these areas, it is about time a greater incentive was offered to doctors. Further, will the Minister state if there is any truth in the rumour that the post at Carna is being boycotted because of the activities of a Fianna Fáil TD in the past in that area?
That does not arise.
It is a fact, Sir.
It may be a fact, but it still does not arise.
Deputy Coogan has asked so many questions it is difficult to answer them all. There is no truth in the allegation he mentioned in regard to Deputy Geoghegan.
I did not mention Deputy Geoghegan; I said a Fianna Fáil TD. The Parliamentary Secretary has put him on the record now.
He lives there. There is no truth in the allegation made by Deputy Coogan. I am particularly concerned about the situation and, as I said in my reply, we are considering readvertising and I shall certainly do all I can to make the terms more attractive than they are at present. I am not aware there is no nurse on the island. I am aware that the nurse dislocated her arm and has been on the mainland for a couple of weeks, but I think there is still a nurse on each island.
There is only one on that island. If anything happened tonight to any of these souls on the island, what could they do?
It is their bodies doctors would be concerned about, nor their souls.