asked the Minister for Health if the health boards are being notified by his Department that they can pay increased capitation rates on condition that the money was provided in the 1971-72 estimates; if he is aware that notification of the increased capitation rates was given after the estimates were passed; and that the increases were not provided for; and what he proposes to do to remedy the position.
Ceisteanna—Questions. Oral Answers. - Health Board Capitation Rates.
10.
The stipulation mentioned has been made only in a small number of instances of purely local application where increases could be anticipated and where, in the normal course, provision for them would be made in the local estimates.
Is it not a fact that the Department of Health have notified the health authority that they can, in fact, pay the per capita increases only if provision is made for them in the estimates of the local authorities? In view of the fact that the notification of the increases in any case did not come until after the estimate was struck, how does the Minister consider that the increases can be paid?
I understand that these increases relate to a small number of institutions and that the health boards have, in general, a small contingency fund out of which they can pay increases.
The Minister has been misinformed. I am sorry to delay the House, but this is the last opportunity we will get before the Recess to have this matter raised. It will cause considerable embarrassment to health boards unless something is done about it. Would the Minister now take the necessary steps to notify the health boards that they are entitled to pay the increases as requested, full stop, because if he does not do that there will be many people who will not be paid for in hospitals?
In a circular addressed by the Department on 31st May to every health board there was a paragraph which dealt with expenditure in excess of what was shown at column 2 when we put down the amount of expenditure to be incurred. This included additional costs due to general increases in prices and approved increases in capitation rates and rates of allowances. That permission was given in a letter dated 31st May. It would be far better if the Deputy would let me have what he has immediately in mind because most of the increases in capitation grants apply to certain institutions, old people's homes, to polio and after-care associations where arrangements are being made for increases in payments for operational causes. They did not include any very large increases given over the whole area of the health board's operations. The Deputy should let me have some particulars and I shall find out if something has gone wrong between my Department and the North Eastern Health Board.
Does the Minister not agree that the North Eastern Health Board and the other health boards have received instructions which they have interpreted as meaning that they are not entitled to pay because provision was not made in the estimate for it and that this is a ridiculous situation? Would the Minister do what he said just now and notify the health boards that they are entitled to pay the capitation increases even though provision has not been made for them?
I shall find out in respect of one or two health boards whether they understood the circular of 31st May.