asked the Minister for Health if he has any plans to give representation on health boards to non-nursing staffs; if so, when he proposes to introduce new or amending regulations; and if he will make a statement on the matter.
481.
Written Answers. - Health Board Staff Representation.
187.
andMr. Bell asked the Minister for Health the steps, if any, that have been taken to provide representation on health boards for those categories of staff who are not already entitled to such representation; and if he will make a statement on the matter.
I propose to take Questions Nos. 187 and 481 together.
I have prepared draft regulations which will allow me to appoint two additional members to each health board. It will be specified that each of these places is being reserved for a representative of each of two large blocks of health service workers who up to now have had no representation on our eight health boards. One of the new appointees will represent non-nursing staff, porters, attendants, domestics, kitchen staff, etc, while the other will represent the remainder of the officer grades, mainly clerical/administrative and para-medical.
To enable me to increase the number of ministerial appointees from three to five, I must also increase local authority membership in at least six of the eight health boards as the Health Act, 1970, stipulates that the total of local authority membership must exceed the total of other members on each health board.
I would also like to amend the Health (Local Committees) Regulations, 1972, to give the staff categories mentioned earlier representation on local health committees. Here there are even greater implications for local authorities. To ensure a majority of local authority membership on local health committees it may, in some instances, be necessary to increase the membership of the local authority.
In these circumstances I have to consult with my colleague, the Minister for the Environment. But in a situation where he, in turn, is reviewing local authority structures, it is difficult to finalise matters. Deputies may be assured however that I will do all within my powers to expedite things. I should of course mention that, in appointing additional staff representatives to each of the health boards, I shall be seeking the advice of the Irish Congress of Trade Unions.