asked the Minister for Health what protection is afforded to psychiatric hospital patients to prevent their exploitation by employers during employment as part of prescribed rehabilitation; and whether he has any proposals to establish criteria within which the remuneration of patients undergoing rehabilitation, through outside employment, could be properly determined.
Ceisteanna—Questions. Oral Answers. - Psychiatric Patients.
16.
Patients are allowed to work outside hospital only if the resident medical superintendent is satisfied that it is in the patients' interest that they should do so and that the conditions in which they work are suitable.
The general problem of the rehabilitation of patients was discussed in April last at a meeting between representatives of my Department and managers and resident medical superintendents of district mental hospitals. It is proposed that the matter will be further considered at another meeting which will be held next month. The criteria which should apply in regard to payments to patients will be among the matters discussed.
When would the Minister expect that there might be a decision on this?
Some time in January perhaps, but I have no information at the moment that these patients are being exploited in any way. As the Deputy knows, it is very difficult to calculate the value of work done by a patient who is disabled in this fashion. No complaints have been made to me. If the Deputy has any cases in which he thinks there is exploitation he should communicate them to me immediately. I have had no letters, no correspondence and no representations of any kind on this matter.
As a matter of fact I did not think that was necessary because I assumed the Minister reads the Irish Press, and particularly the leading articles.
They are all advertising the Irish Press today.
Is the Minister aware that there is a report in the daily papers which was the subject of a leading article in the Irish Press to the effect that in Waterford county one of these patients was employed for a full day and received 5/- for a day's work?
I will have that investigated.