asked the Minister for Supplies if he has considered the representations made to him on behalf of the superintendents of home assistance in West Cork; and whether, in view of the gravity and urgency of the duties of such officers, he will consider them as persons to be classed with county surveyors, midwives and dispensary doctors as entitled to some allowance of petrol to enable them to visit their area at least once each month, particularly where such areas include the poorer districts on the south western seaboard.
Ceisteanna—Questions. Oral Answers. - Petrol for Home Assistance Superintendents.
I have fully considered the representations made to me in regard to the grant of facilities to enable a superintendent home assistance officer under the West Cork Board of Health and Public Assistance to use a motor car for the performance of his duties. I regret that I have not found it possible to grant petrol allowances for this purpose in the case of any superintendent home assistance officer.
I have asked the question with reference to West Cork, but I might mention that this applies to every area from Donegal to West Cork. Does the Minister not consider it very necessary that men of the type I have suggested, superintendents of home assistance, should be enabled to keep in touch with the people where there is difficulty in relation to the distribution of goods, particularly food? Then there may be cases where disease would break out and arrangements might have to be made at a moment's notice to cope with the outbreak. I suggest it is a very necessary service and it applies to many more places than West Cork.
I appreciate that it is a necessary service and I realise that the absence of motor transport will cause considerable inconvenience to the officers concerned, just as it will cause inconvenience to large numbers of other people. I think the local authorities will have to endeavour to revise their schemes of organisation so as to ensure that the duties of these officers can be discharged even if petrol cannot be made available.
I am not so much concerned about the officers as I am about the poor people who should be kept in close touch with the authorities administering relief. I should like the Minister to look at the matter from that point of view.
It is the duty of local authorities to ensure that relief will be given expeditiously in needy cases and, if the existing organisation is based on the availability of motor transport, then, in the absence of that motor transport, the problem of reorganisation in order to enable the duties of the local authorities to be properly discharged will have to be considered by them.
I am addressing myself to a situation which may never arise, a situation which, I hope, will not arise.
If the local authority is suppressed by the Minister for Local Government and Public Health and is substituted by a commissioner, will petrol be provided?
Petrol is not being provided for any superintendent home assistance officer.
But will it be provided for the commissioners?
That is a separate question.