Dáil Éireann díospóireacht -
Tuesday, 22 Oct 1996

Vol. 470 No. 4

Written Answers. - State Companies.

Bertie Ahern

Ceist:

113 Mr. B. Ahern asked the Minister for Health the State companies, if any, under the aegis of his Department; the number employed in each such company; and the amount of the State investment in and annual subvention to each, where applicable. [19340/96]

Minister for Health (Mr. Noonan

, Limerick East): There are three health agencies included in the category of State companies under the aegis of my Department. They are the Voluntary Health Insurance Board, the Blood Transfusion Service Board and the Irish Medicines Board. The details in respect of each organisation as requested by the Deputy are set out on the table below.

Organisation	Numbers Employed at 31,12,95*	Annual Subvention
Voluntary Health Insurance Board	339	Nil
Blood Transfusion Service Board	336	£2.3m***
Irish Medicines Board**	58	Nil

*Numbers are expressed in wholetime equivalents.

**On 1.1.96 the National Drugs Advisory Board was reconstituted as the Irish Medicines Board.

***Hepatitis C programme. This is part of the funding approved by Government in 1994 in respect of the cost of the BTSB in relation to Hepatitis C. Additional funding for this programme is included in the Acute Hospital Programme.