asked the Minister for Health the year in respect of which his Department last published a report; and when reports for the intervening years will be published.
Ceisteanna—Questions. Oral Answers. - Department of Health Reports.
185.
The last report published on the work of my Department was in respect of the year 1957-58.
Having regard to the number of publications available, which give information about the health services and developments in them, particularly the White Paper on the Health Services published last year, and also to the comprehensive review which is undertaken annually when the Estimates for my Department are prepared and presented to the House, I consider that an annual report would not be worth the effort involved in its production. However, I am at present considering whether a long-term review, covering perhaps a ten-year period, would be worthwhile.
The Minister appreciates that the information obtainable in the yearly publications has not been published for years. Does he appreciate the problem people have in deciding how best to administer health services without the fundamental, basic information which ought to be available, but is not? Irrespective of all the reports to which the Minister referred, a great deal of useful information is not available to the medical profession or to the non-medical profession who are concerned in administering the public health services. I earnestly urge on the Minister that the information which used be published and is not now published in any form should be brought up to date so that it will be made available before we vote on any change in the health services.