asked the Minister for Health if he will indicate in detail the changes, if any, made in the composition and/or the terms of reference of any State board, commission or committee under the aegis of his Department since 14th March, 1973.
Ceisteanna—Questions. Oral Answers. - State Boards Composition.
42.
No changes have been made since 14th March, 1973, in the terms of reference of any body appointed under the aegis of my Department.
Only in the case of two bodies under the aegis of my Department are the members paid. In the case of one of these, the Voluntary Health Insurance Board, there has been no change in the composition. In the case of the other, the Hospitals Commission, which is due to go out of existence shortly, the membership has been reduced from 1st July from six to three. The continuing members were members of the former larger body.
The membership of the Mass Radiography Board, apart from the chairman, has traditionally consisted of members of the staff of health boards appointed on a rotating basis and members of the staff of my Department whose work is related to the work of the board. Changes in the membership of the board in the period mentioned were in accordance with these principles.
The Cork Hospitals Board consists of persons nominated by the Southern Health Board, the chief executive officer of that board and the president of University College, Cork, together with civil servants selected by the Minister for Education and by me. Certain changes in the membership resulted from past nominations by the nominating authorities and from the appointment by me of an officer of my Department to replace another such officer who in the normal course had moved to other work unrelated to that of the board.
In the case of the Blood Transfusion Board, a county manager, who has now no function in regard to the health services, was replaced by an officer of a health board.
In two other cases, the Poisons Council and the Dublin Dental Hospitals Board, an appropriately qualified professional person was appointed to replace another such person. In one case a man had died and in the other a man had resigned due to pressure of other work.
In the only other case in which there was a change in composition, I accepted the recommendation of the BCG Committee for the appointment of two named additional professional persons to the committee.
43.
asked the Minister for Health if any new board, commission or committee has been established under the aegis of his Department since 14th March, 1973; and, if so, if he will give details.
No such body has been appointed under the aegis of my Department since 14th March, 1973.
44.
asked the Minister for Health if he will give details of each of the bodies set up under the auspices of his Department including their function, personnel, the annual cost of each such body and the work at present being undertaken by each of them.
The information is being assembled, but if the question were answered in the normal way in the House, it would, because of its volume, take up an inordinate amount of space in the Official Reports. Accordingly, when it is available I propose, with your permission, a Cheann Comhairle, to place copies in the Dáil Library.
Will the Parliamentary Secretary let me know as soon as that information is available?
I will.