andMrs. Burke asked the Minister for Health if he has any plans to offset the ever-growing charges of the Health Acts with resultant escalation of rate charges.
Ceisteanna—Questions. Oral Answers. - Health Act Charges.
2.
As I indicated in reply to a question in the House on 9th December last (vol 250, No. 4, cols. 453-455) the Government are examining the possibility of introducing a contributory insurance scheme for persons in the middle income group. This examination is not yet complete and it is not yet possible to make an announcement.
Does the Minister appreciate the fact that at the moment most local authorities are striking the rate and that it would be extremely beneficial to them if the Minister could give some indication as to what contribution will be made from central funds towards stabilisation and the prevention of the escalation of the rates which appears to be the problem of every local authority in Ireland?
I doubt whether the announcement of the contribution at this stage would alter the financial position faced by local authorities which, as the Deputy knows, is due to inflation, to the fact that people requested increases of incomes that were bound to increase the cost of remuneration in State and local services.
Would the Minister not agree that what he has said is just a rehash of what he said on the Adjournment last week when he said he would try to get the figures for this year notified to the local authorities before Monday? Is he aware that so far no figures have been given? Does he not realise that at least for this year notification of the moneys that will be given would help to keep the rates down. otherwise there will be a position which cannot be rectified at a later date? Would the Minister not make some statement on the matter?
I hope to be able to give this information as soon as possible. We are nearing the end of the deliberations that are required in order to make the decision.
(Cavan): Is the Minister not aware that some councils have adjourned their estimates meeting because they have not the information which they are awaiting from the Minister?
(Interruptions.)
Is the Minister aware that the national rate increase is about 75p in the £ and health charges are about 75p in the £? Is he not further aware that his predecessor, the late Deputy O'Malley, indicated that additional increases from the year 1968-69 would be borne entirely by the Exchequer? In view of that assurance would the Minister not consider increasing the central authority contribution so that this additional burden of 75p would not be placed on the rate-paying community?
First of all, the Deputy is misinterpreting the actual words of the White Paper in regard to increase in the rates. I do not need to repeat what the White Paper actually said. Secondly, it would be quite impossible for me to make a promise at this stage that I would stabilise the rate at its present position. I could not do that for the House.
When the Minister refers to an insurance contribution, would this be compulsory or voluntary?
It would have to be compulsory to be any use.
Does the Minister appreciate that in Mayo we have the highest rate in the country? Our council is meeting on Saturday next to strike the rate. Could the Minister tell me whether the necessary information will be available in time for that meeting?
If the Deputy very carefully examines the White Papers that have been introduced on the subject of rates he will find that there may be a difficulty in the towns in certain parts of Mayo. He will also find out, if he looks at the rate actually paid per head of the population in Mayo and compares it with that in Sligo and Limerick and Clare and Cork and Kerry, that an anomalous situation is created by simply speaking of Mayo as having the highest rate in the country. I invite the Deputy and all other Mayo Deputies to read the White Paper issued on rates. I know that rate per head of the population may not necessarily be an absolutely equitable method of comparison but at least it is some comparison. Deputies and county councillors from Mayo, when they talk about the highest rate, should compare the rate per head of the population. When I last saw the figure about four years ago it was something like £5 9s per head of the population compared with £5 and £6 and figures of that order for other western counties.
Question No. 3.
Can the Minister state——
I am calling Question No. 3. This matter has been discussed on the Adjournment and we cannot have a repetition of the debate at this stage.
I asked the Minister a supplementary question and I want to ask another supplementary on his reply.
I will allow the Deputy one final supplementary.
In his reply to me the Minister said that the escalation of the rates was due to inflationary conditions generally, but I want to ask him does he not accept the fact that in every local authority in Ireland the rates are rising due to the health charges? Therefore he has the paramount responsibility in this matter. Could he state one way or the other whether he proposes to give a bigger grant from the central Government to control the rates? That is the whole point of the question.
I told the Deputy that the announcement will be made as soon as possible. The Deputy will also be aware of the fact that everybody who is not employed in a health authority and who asks for an increase in salary or wages far in excess of national productivity should by now know that he or she is automatically taxing himself or herself by the inevitable growth in the cost of the health services. People who are employed in the health authorities naturally require the same increases in wages and salaries as other people in the community.
Question No. 3.
Can the Minister say who is responsible for national productivity? Is it not the Government?