asked the Minister for Health if he will take steps to ensure that the local advisory committees to the South West Regional Health Board in Cork and Kerry will meet at an early date.
Ceisteanna—Questions. Oral Answers. - Health Board Advisory Committees.
10.
The fixing of a date for the first meeting of a local committee is a matter for the health board. I understand that the dates of the first meetings of the local committees for Kerry and North Cork have been agreed, and the health board is endeavouring to get agreement on suitable dates for the first meetings of the two other committees in Cork.
Is the Minister aware that the Southern Committee of the Cork County Council have decided not to take part in the advisory health committees because the Minister saw fit to deprive 12 members of that committee of any representation on the advisory health committees, which means they have no say whatsoever in the administration of the health services in that part of the county, while at the same time the Minister has given full representation to the Northern and Western Committees? Could the Minister now, at this late stage, accede to a request from the Cork County Council to grant the 21 members of the Southern Committee of the Council full representation on the advisory health committees?
I have already answered a question on that and made it perfectly clear that I do not propose to depart from the general arrangements made for these committees.
Is that not a typical dictatorial attitude on the part of the Minister? Is it not true that he has given representation to the Northern and Western Committees and that this is the thin end of the wedge towards uniting both Cork city and county, which will not be acceptable? Would the Minister now, in the interests of the elected representatives in the southern area, give full representation to the 21 members?
I do not propose to make any change.
That is typical of the Minister's dictatorial attitude.