asked the Minister for Health whether the Dublin County Medical Officer has any responsibility regarding health hazards in the Bannow Road area, Dublin, due to water shortage in that area.
4.
Ceisteanna—Questions. Oral Answers. - Dublin Health Hazards.
3.
asked the Minister for Health if he is aware of the health hazard caused in the Bannow Road area, Dublin, by acute water shortage; and what action it is proposed to take in the matter.
With your permission, a Cheann Comhairle, I propose to take Questions Nos. 3 and 4 together.
Under the duties of his office, the chief medical officer of a health authority is required to inform himself of all influences affecting or threatening to affect injuriously the public health in the health authority area.
I am informed that the chief medical officer, Dublin, does not consider that there is a health hazard in the Bannow Road area arising out of water shortage.
The provision of water supplies is primarily a matter for the sanitary authority concerned and, as the Minister for Local Government stated in his reply to the Deputy's question on 24th June, 1970, work is at present in progress on the laying of a water-main at Bannow Road, Cabra, which should improve the supply position in the area.
Would the Minister not think it wise, when an area of the city suffers from drought, as this area has done, for his Department to circularise information to the tenants of the area as to the necessary precautions which should be taken in order to prevent illness occurring and in order to safeguard the health of those in the area?
That would be a matter for the Dublin Health Authority.
Would the Minister not accept the sincere assurance of all the Deputies for the area that even against the background of generalised low water pressure in Dublin there is a specific health hazard in this area? Will the Minister please look at this again, and urge his colleague the Minister for Local Government to expedite the laying of the main pipeline to which he refers?
This matter is primarily one for Dublin Corporation. The Minister for Local Government has done what is necessary in that regard. I have complete confidence in the decision of the Dublin Health Authority health officer.