asked the Minister for Local Government and Public Health whether, in view of the fact that the capitation grant of 4/- per patient per week was fixed at a time when that sum represented approximately 50 per cent. of the weekly cost of the maintenance of mental hospital patients, and having regard to the fact that the present cost of maintenance is approximately £62 per annum, he will consider increasing the capitation grant so as to accord with present-day maintenance cost.
Ceisteanna — Questions. Oral Answers. - Capitation Grant to Mental Hospitals.
The grant towards the accommodation and maintenance of persons committed to mental hospitals is part of a system of financial subvention of local rates which has become established gradually over a long period. At the time this particular grant originated the grants-in-aid of local taxation were few and had not attained their present proportion of about £5,000,000 a year. The question of the revision of a particular grant cannot be considered apart from other grants which are applicable to the relief of rates raised for the upkeep of local services generally.