asked the Minister for Health if he is aware of the approved estimated expenditure of the Dublin Health Authority for 1970-1971 of £16.4 million involving rates increases of 4s 5d per pound in the Dún Laoghaire Borough area, 3s per pound in the Dublin County Council area and 1s 6d per pound in the Dublin City area; and if the Government intend to introduce amending legislation for the financing of the health services.
Ceisteanna—Questions. Oral Answers. - Financing of Health Services.
18.
The figure of £16.4 million mentioned by the Deputy is the estimated gross expenditure shown in the provisional estimates of Dublin Health Authority for 1970-71. The information available to my Department is that the provisional demands made by the health authority on the rating authorities for 1970-71 would give rise to increases of about 1s, 2s 8d and 3s 11d in the rates for Dublin city, Dublin county and Dún Laoghaire, respectively.
Amending legislation for the financing of health services is contained in the Health Bill, 1969. As the Deputy is aware, grants to supplement the statutory grant of 50 per cent payable towards expenditure on health services have been provided in recent years to mitigate the effect on the rates of increasing expenditure. This arrangement will be continued in 1970-71 but I am not yet in a position to indicate the extent of the supplementary grants which will be made available.