asked the Minister for Local Government and Public Health whether, in view of the statements made at the annual meeting of the Infant Aid Society with regard to the prevalent destitution in many slum areas in Dublin, he will state what special measures he is taking to deal with the urgency of the situation.
Ceisteanna—Questions. Oral Answers. - Destitution in Dublin.
I would refer the Deputy to my statements on this matter appearing in the Official Report of the 11th April, 1929, columns 268 to 270.
asked the Minister for Local Government and Public Health if his attention has been called to the statement made at the annual meeting of the Infant Aid Society and published in the Dublin daily Press on April 30th, 1929, to the effect that infants in the Westland Row and Francis Street areas, or in any parish in the city, were dying for want of nourishment; if there is any foundation for this statement, and if he will state what measures he proposes to adopt to cope with the situation.
With regard to the last part of the question, I would refer the Deputy to my reply to Deputy Dr. Hennessy. As to the remainder of the question, I would suggest that persons anxious to know exactly what was said at the meeting, and the information upon which any such sayings were based, should address the Committee of the Infant Aid Society or any of the speakers.
I would like to ask the Minister whether he does think it right when a statement of this gravity has been made and published in the daily Press that it should be left to anyone outside of his Department to ask whether that statement is correct or not? It is a most important statement to make, and it should be either definitely contradicted or else some definite assurance given that, if the facts are as stated in the Press, something is going to be done. I do not think that any decent answer has been given to the question.
As far as I know the speech to which the Deputy refers is the speech of a gentleman well known in a philanthropic society in Dublin, who does a great deal of excellent work. Feeling very deeply on the matter, if he did speak—well, rhetorically, one understands it. One is often a little rhetorical on occasions like that.
Does the Minister deny the accuracy of the statements made by that gentleman?
I am not really sure what the statements were, so I could not tell the Deputy.
Is the Minister aware that the Minister for Education was listening to these statements being made and did not contradict them?
Would I be allowed to state what the statements were?
I am afraid not.