asked the Minister for Health if he will make a statement in relation to the closure of the country's only hospital-based drug information centre at St. James' Hospital, Dublin 8.
Written Answers. - Drug Information Centre Closure.
98.
A decision was not made by the Department of Health to close the Drug Information Centre at St. James' Hospital.
The drug information centre at St. James's Hospital was set up in 1983 and was funded mainly from private sources. The private funding was used for the salaries of the three personnel (who were seconded from St. James's Hospital) employed in the centre and St. James's Hospital provided the premises and contributed towards the non-pay expenses such as heat, light and power.
In 1987 the private funding arrangement was discontinued and two of the three persons employed in the centre left the employ of the hospital.
The staffing, funding and general future of the centre were considered against the background of the overall staffing requirements of the hospital and its general financial situation and, taking account of the fact that the information needs can be provided from sources such as the National Drug Advisory Board and the poisons centre (now at Beaumont Hospital), a decision was taken to discontinue the information centre.