asked the Minister for Health if he will state, in relation to the proposed Midland Health Board, (a) what administrative staff the chief executive officer will require to run the health board; (b) the estimated annual cost of a CEO; (c) the estimated annual cost of staff other than the CEO; (d) the estimated cost of providing and staffing the proposed information offices in each county centre; (e) the estimated cost of providing an administrative headquarters; and (f) the estimated cost of transferring premises to the board.
Ceisteanna—Questions. Oral Answers. - Midland Health Board.
7.
I regret that, apart from (b), I cannot at present reply to these questions. As I told the House on 23rd July, a firm of management consultants has been engaged to advise on the methods of operation and the administrative staffing of health boards. Until they have reported, and their report has been considered, the detailed administrative arrangements for health boards will not be determined.
The remuneration of the chief executive officer of the Midland Health Board will be £3,930 rising by annual increments of £124 to a maximum of £4,425.
Is the Minister, in effect, telling us that in order to provide a choice of doctor for medical card holders and to give people with medical cards the right to prescriptions from chemists, he has emasculated the local authority of an important part of their functions and has triggered off a bureaucratic revolution without having any idea of what it will cost?
I shall not engage in that controversy either because the Health Act was passed by this House with a very considerable degree of agreement between all parties, while there were differences of opinion on details, emphasis and so on.
Would the Minister not——
I would point out to the Deputy that there are 180 questions to dispose of.
With respect, Sir, the supplementary question I propose to put is most reasonable having regard to the little information I have got.
The number of supplementaries may be unreasonable.
I have just one more question. Would the Minister not agree with me that the time to have called in the management consultants to evaluate the Health Bill was before it was introduced and before it was passed into legislation?
The Deputy is making a ridiculous suggestion. First of all, I had to get agreement from the House as to the principle of regional health boards and as to where they were to be and how they were to be distributed. I have proceeded with this work as rapidly as possible in the circumstances. The consultants will present a report in sufficient time to take all the necessary steps of evaluating the character of staffs required, which of course include the present staffs of all the 27 health authorities. It means only a transfer in certain cases and realignment of duties, and all that can be done in a satisfactory time.
We have no idea what it will cost.