asked the Minister for Health the policy on the sale of dispensary houses to the occupants thereof.
Ceisteanna—Questions. Oral Answers. - Dispensary House Sales.
19.
Decisions on the sale of dispensary residences are primarily the responsibility of health boards. If a health board is satisfied that it is not necessary to retain a dispensary residence as an inducement for a doctor to participate in the area, it may decide to sell the residence to the participating doctor occuping it at the time, or to his widow.
Is the Minister aware of the wide variation in policy as between health boards some of whom are willing to sell a house and others quite unwilling and others cannot make up their minds? Could the Minister suggest to the health boards generally that they might, where possible, sell the houses where the occupants are anxious to purchase them?
As I have said, it is a matter for the health boards. Difficulties or disagreements have not been brought to my notice. They may have been brought to the attention of the Department. I am aware that in the Deputy's constituency there is some difficulty but that will have to be sorted out by the health board. The general policy is, as I have stated in the reply, that they may decide to sell a residence to a doctor or to the widow of a doctor. On the other hand, they may keep the residence in order to induce a doctor to participate in practice in an area because housing is one of the problems a doctor has in many parts of the country when he decides to practise, or is required to practise, in a certain area.
The Minister will appreciate that in many cases the doctor or his widow, as the case may be, has lived for 30 or 40 or more years in the house and great hardship can be caused if he or she is asked to leave when the doctor retires or dies.
I am afraid I cannot add to what I have said. I am sure all the health boards would be as sympathetic to that type of situation as the Deputy appears to be and I certainly would be in sympathy with it. I do not know if there was a policy laid down by the former Minister for Health. My information is as stated in the reply.
Does the Minister know the number of dispensary residences involved?
No.
That is a separate question.
The information may be available. I have not got it here.