asked the Minister for Health if he is aware that a circular issued by his Department has been constructed by a health authority manager in such a way that it is now proposed to levy £42,000 on the county ratepayers of Cork; and that this seems to contravene section 11 (3) of the Health Authorities Act, 1960; if the construction put on the circular is that intended by his Department; and, if not, if he will make a statement on the matter.
Ceisteanna—Questions. Oral Answers. - Health Department Circular.
11.
When notifying health authorities of the amount of the supplementary grants which would be payable to them from my Department's Vote in respect of the current financial year I made to them the reasonable suggestion that matters should be so arranged that the rate for health to be levied by each of the contributing bodies should be maintained as near as possible to the rate for the previous year. Apparently the effect of this would be that Cork County Council would have to pay the amount mentioned in the question over and above the amount it would have to pay under an agreement between the two contributing bodies, arrived at in February, 1966.
I understand that this matter was discussed at a meeting of the health authority held on 13th instant and that the feeling was that the agreement referred to should not be varied. If this is acceptable to the contributing bodies, that ends the matter.
I should like to point out to the Minister who was the Minister for Health on this particular occasion and the Minister, I am glad to say, who sanctioned the agreement under section 11 of the Health Authorities Act of 1960, that the Minister in this declaration has committed an illegal act and that his manager in Cork has committed an illegal act.
Get rid of him.
Section 11 states that the expenses of a health authority established by this Act shall be contributed, by the local authorities who appoint members of the health authority, in such proportions as these authorities may agree upon with the consent of the Minister. I submit that such an agreement was come to as between Cork County Council and Cork Corporation on 28th February, 1966.
The Deputy is making a speech.
The sanction of the Minister was received on 5th April, 1966—the Minister who has replied to this question—Deputy O'Malley. Any interference——
The Deputy may not continue in this way. This is totally out of order.
I give notice that I intend to raise this matter on the Adjournment.
The Chair will communicate with the Deputy in the course of the afternoon.
I am not going to permit any Minister or any manager to commit an illegal act.
Lest there be any misinterpretation or misconception about the meeting last Monday, I happen to be a member of Cork Health Authority also and what the Minister for Education, replying for the Minister for Health, says is perfectly true.
The Cork Examiner made an idiotic statement about the position.