asked the Minister for Health whether it is proposed that all the laundry from Dublin Health Authority hospitals including that authority's fever hospitals will be processed through the new central laundry for hospitals.
6.
Ceisteanna—Questions. Oral Answers. - Central Hospital Laundry.
5.
asked the Minister for Health the present position of the proposed new central laundry for hospitals in Rathfarnham, Dublin; the estimated dates of (a) completion and (b) operation; the hospitals from which it is proposed to take washing for the new laundry; and the number of people who will be employed in the new laundry.
With your permission, a Cheann Comhairle, I proposed to take Questions Nos. 5 and 6 together.
It is expected that the building of the central laundry at Rathfarnham on behalf of the hospitals joint services board will be completed in August next. The installation and testing of the equipment will take a few months and it is likely that the laundry will be ready to begin operating in January, 1971.
The laundry has been planned to provide a service for all the hospitals, both voluntary and health authority, in the Dublin area. Initially, however, it is not intended to provide a service for fever hospitals, since it will first be necessary to devise suitable precedures for the handling and washing of clothing received from these hospitals.
The laundry will operate on a two-shift basis and it is expected that a staff of from 160 to 180 persons will be employed including operatives, distribution and administrative staff.