asked the Minister for Local Government and Public Health if he will state the amount at present lying to the credit of the Hospitals Trust Fund, and how this money is invested.
Ceisteanna—Questions. Oral Answers. - Hospitals Trust Fund.
The amount in the Hospitals Trust Fund on the 31st March last was approximately £8,000,000.
As regards the investment of the fund the position is as stated in the reply to the Deputy's question on the 8th February, 1945.
Is the Parliamentary Secretary aware that there are great rumours that this money is invested in England and that some of it may have been lost during the emergency? Is he aware of that or will he deny it?
I am not so aware.
Would the Parliamentary Secretary not think it desirable, at some early stage, to present a White Paper to the House showing the moneys received into this fund, the way they have been expended and the way in which they are now appropriated with a view to future expenditure?
That is a separate question.
The question on the Paper is as to the amount to the credit of the Hospitals Trust Fund and how it was invested. As Deputy O'Leary mentioned, there is a great deal of what I believe to be irresponsible talk about this fund. Would it not be well to issue an authoritative paper setting out how much is in the fund, how it is invested, how it has been expended to date and the decisions taken as to its future expenditure, so that rumours of the character referred to by Deputy O'Leary may be dealt with effectively?
Is the Parliamentary Secretary aware that, when the amount of money budgeted for in any given year is expended, it has been found that a number of persons are deprived of supplementary benefit? I understand that that has occurred.
That is a health insurance matter.
Perhaps the Parliamentary Secretary would say whether he will consider the proposal to issue a White Paper providing authoritative information with regard to this fund.
Most of the information for which the Deputy asks has been published in one form or another from time to time. The question of publishing the list of investments by the Hospitals Trust Board has been repeatedly raised in this House and the Minister has invariably declined to publish the list as he is not directly responsible for such investments.
While admitting that the bulk of the information I am seeking is available in various places, would the Parliamentary Secretary not think it desirable to collect it into easily accessible form, so that it might be readily at the disposal of those who do not know their way through official publications? Will the Parliamentary Secretary give consideration to that matter?
I should not like to encourage the Deputy to think that anything effective will emerge from the consideration.
Is it not extraordinary that we cannot get information on a sheet of paper as to what the facts are?
In reply to a question by me 12 months ago, the Minister said that it would not be in the public interest to publish the list of investments. Does the Parliamentary Secretary deny that the money is invested in England?
It would be a simple thing to tell us the facts.
Question No. 7.
The Parliamentary Secretary should not be ashamed to say so if all the money is invested at home.
The Parliamentary Secretary——
Question No. 7 has been called by the Chair and when the Chair calls a question that question should be dealt with.