asked the Minister for Health if he will state (a) the original estimated yearly cost of the implementation of all sections of the Health Acts and (b) the present annual cost of all such sections as have been implemented.
Ceisteanna—Questions. Oral Answers. - Implementation of Health Acts.
The Health Acts referred to in the question presumably comprise the Health Act, 1947, the Health Act, 1953, the Health Act, 1954, and the Health and Mental Treatment Act, 1957.
As explained in reply to a question last week by Deputy Esmonde in relation to the Health Act, 1953, these Acts, in addition to providing services for persons not previously entitled to such services, provide a revised statutory basis for services previously provided under other legislative codes. In addition, increases in recent years in price levels and in rates of remuneration have rendered completely out of date any estimates which were made in respect of the earlier Acts. They have, moreover, rendered it impossible to distinguish between increases in the costs of old services and increases in expenditure resulting from extensions of such services or the introduction of new services.