asked the Minister for Health how the level of payments made by the health boards to voluntary bodies catering for the aged, disabled and mentally handicapped for the year 1976 will compare with those paid to the same bodies in 1975.
Ceisteanna—Questions. Oral Answers. - Health Boards' Payments.
6.
Certain homes in the categories referred to by the Deputy are funded by health boards by means of approved capitation rates payable in respect of eligible persons. Other similar homes are funded by grants payable by the boards under section 65 of the Health Act, 1953.
I propose to increase capitation rates very shortly, generally by about 10 per cent. As far as section 65 grants in respect of homes and other services are concerned, health boards have been advised to provide, in their detailed budgets for 1976, at least the same level of grant as obtained in 1975, together with reasonable provision to provide against additional costs in 1976.
A complete picture of the situation will, however, not be available until the individual health boards have finally determined the distribution of their financial allocation for 1976.
Is it not a touch of the Pontius Pilate for the Minister to say that he has advised health boards to provide the same amount of money in 1976 when he is not providing adequate money for them to carry on the existing services?
The Deputy is extending the scope of the question.
Part of the Minister's reply was to the effect that he had instructed the health boards to make the same payments in 1976 as they did in 1975 but he is not providing the same money for them.
I provided an extra 13 per cent to the health board in the Deputy's constituency.
Inflation is running at between 20 and 25 per cent.
Would the Minister give the House a breakdown of the increase of 13 per cent? What percentage of that goes directly to the Eastern Health Board and what percentage goes to the institutions in the health board area?
The 13 per cent is in respect of direct expenditure by the health boards.
It is not even standing still; it is going backwards with inflation.
We are spending more money than Fianna Fáil, in real terms.
Nobody believes that any more.
There has been progress as far as expenditure and the services are concerned over the last three years. It is more than anything Fianna Fáil ever did.
Nobody believes that circus any more.