asked the Minister for Health if he has received a proposal from the Western Health Board for the appointment of an obstetrician/gynaecologist to Roscommon County Hospital; and if he is in a position to approve this appointment in view of the fact that Comhairle na nOspidéal have rejected the proposal.
Ceisteanna—Questions. Oral Answers. - Western Health Board Medical Posts.
29.
I have received no such proposal but I am aware that Comhairle na nOspidéal which, under section 41 of the Health Act, 1970, were given the function of regulating the number and type of consultant appointments, had such a proposal before them and decided not to approve of it. The Act does not give the Minister a right to approve of such an appointment in these circumstances.
Will the Minister ask the Cabinet sub-committee to consider this recommendation from the Western Health Board?
I do not think the Cabinet sub-committee have this power. As I explained in my reply, Comhairle na nOspidéal determine if a consultant is required in any hospital.
From whom did Comhairle na nOspidéal receive this proposal? With regard to decisions of the comhairle, will the Minister say how many requests he received from health boards and others regarding the amendment or repeal of section 21 of the Health Act, 1971?
The Deputy is broadening the scope of this question out of all proportion.
The only case which has come to my notice is the one in this region.
30.
asked the Minister for Health if he is aware of the anxiety in the Ballina region arising from the delay in appointing a doctor of consultant status to Ballina Hospital, County Mayo.
31.
asked the Minister for Health if he is in a position to state when a full-time doctor will be appointed to Ballina District Hospital, County Mayo.
I propose, with the permission of the Ceann Comhairle, to take Questions Nos. 30 and 31 together.
I agreed to the improvement in the terms of appointment for the post of medical officer to this hospital, including the concession of automatic right of entry to the general medical service and the Local Appointments Commission have advertised the post on these terms. Applications closed on 3rd October. The result of the competition is awaited.
I am aware of the views current in the Ballina area in favour of an appointment of consultant status and have met a deputation who presented these views to me. The primary decision on this rests, however, with the Western Health Board, who would seek the approval of Comhairle na nOspidéal if they favoured an appointment of consultant status in Ballina. The board have not sought such approval and I might mention that in their recent consideration of the future hospital system in the area, none of the health administrative bodies, including the Mayo health committee, put forward a view favouring consultant services based in Ballina.
Is the Minister aware that at a public meeting in Ballina, attended by approximately 500 people, including representatives from all the towns in the immediate area, they asked that a doctor of consultant status be appointed to the hospital? This demand was backed by the Mayo County Council, the Castlebar Urban Council and also in a letter to him by the secretary of the action committee set up on the 17th September which——
The Deputy may not embark on a long statement.
It is not a statement but a question.
The Deputy's question must be brief and relevant.
This is a question.
Will the Deputy not await the result of the interviews to be carried out by the Local Appointments Commission to see if he will then change his tune and agree to the employment of the person, whoever he may be?
Will the Minister accept that the people of Ballina will not accept the appointment being made by the Local Appointments Commission? Plans have been made in the Ballina area to meet that contingency if such an appointment is made. The people ask him not to sanction any appointment until such time as——
The Deputy is giving information rather than seeking it. Question No. 32.
May I have an answer?
The Deputy did not ask a question; he made a statement in which there was an implied threat. I would like to remind the Deputy that there was no clamour from the people in that area when the Western Health Board were considering where hospitals might be sited. As far as I know, and if the Deputy has information to the contrary I should like to have it, the Mayo County Health Committee excluded Ballina hospital from the list of hospitals which should have a consultant.
I have given the Deputy a lot of latitude. I will allow one brief supplementary.
This has been with us since March, 1973, that is, only in the life of this Government. We have been getting answers——
The Deputy is not helping the Chair to elicit information.
If a demand comes from the Mayo health committee and the Western Health Board about a man of consultant status, will the Minister and Comhairle na nOspidéal consider it?
I cannot give any guarantee in so far as Comhairle na nOspidéal are concerned. The comhairle were established under the Health Act, 1970. One of their powers was to decide whether there should be a consultant or consultants in various hospitals.