asked the President whether he is aware that in response to the advertisement issued by the Local Appointments Commissioners no application was received for the position of general nurse for Bere Island, County Cork, and whether, in view of the difficulty of obtaining a suitable candidate for this position, the Commissioners will consider the question of altering the terms of the advertisement in order that a maternity nurse may be appointed.
CEISTEANNA—QUESTIONS. ORAL ANSWERS. - GENERAL NURSE FOR BERE ISLAND.
The Local Appointments Commissioners received a statutory request to recommend for appointment a nurse with midwifery qualifications for Bere Island in June last.
The vacancy has been advertised on two occasions, but so far it has not been found possible to secure a suitable candidate possessing the dual qualifications.
The Local Appointments Commissioners can only deal with the statutory request received by them, and further steps are being taken with a view to securing a nurse with the required midwifery qualification.
I am informed by the Minister for Local Government and Public Health that from the medical point of view it is most desirable that a resident nurse should be appointed, but if the steps now being taken by the Commissioners should prove unsuccessful, the Minister would be prepared to consider the appointment of a midwife instead. In such case, however, it would, of course, be necessary to revise the rate of remuneration as well as the other terms of the office.