4.Each permanent whole-time officer whose office is abolished under this scheme shall, where the number of years' service is ten or more than ten years, be granted an abolition allowance, and where the term of service is less than ten years, a gratuity or lump sum shall be awarded, Such allowances or gratuities to be calculated on the basis arrived at between the three contributory bodies to the Limerick Workhouse, and subject to the decision of the Local Government Department.
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5.A Committee of Management (Governing Committee) to control the administration of the new City Home and Hospital shall be set up, consisting of eleven members (including the Mayor of Limerick, ex-officio); three of these shall be women, as it is desirable that women representatives be on the committee. Seven members (including the Mayor) shall be appointed by the Borough Council from amongst the members of the Council, and these seven members shall recommend the co-option of four other members (who need not necessarily be members of the Borough Council) to the Council for appointment on the Management Committee.
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6.The Committee of Management shall adopt such Standing Orders as shall be deemed necessary by the Local Government Department.
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7.The committee shall take the necessary steps to provide for the re-staffing of the City Home and Hospital, and advertisements for this purpose shall be inserted in the public press, as soon as possible, after the notices of abolition of offices have been issued to existing officials.
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8.The new staff to be appointed by the Committee shall consist of:— (a) An Accountant Secretary (duties to be defined). (b) A House Steward. (c) A Matron. (d) Requisite number of nurses and attendants. (e) Gate Porter. (f) A Medical Officer. (g) Chaplains.
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In case of any future appointments to the nursing staff, none but fully trained nurses shall be eligible.
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9.Any such new appointments as the Committee shall decide to make shall be subject to the sanction of the Local Government Department, and when the Department deems it necessary, examinations will be held. All appointments shall be temporary for a period of six months, and the salaries attaching thereto shall be subject to revision, subject to the approval of the Local Government Department, at the end of the period. The appointments shall be made permanent, conditional on satisfactory service being given.
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10.The system of rationing of officials shall, under the proposed new management, cease, and, as far as possible, with the successful working of the City Home officers will be expected to live outside the institution.
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11.The bread supply for the institution shall be got, by contract, from the local bakeries.
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12.The conveyance of patients to and from the City Home shall, with the co-operation of the Borough Council, be done by the City Ambulance.
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13.For purposes of administering Home Help throughout the Borough, a suitable person, or persons, shall be appointed to carry out all the duties connected therewith (duties to be defined by the committee), and the committee shall be free, in the interests of economy and the destitute poor, to make such suitable alteration as it may deem fit in this regard.
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14.Three members of the Committee of Management shall form a quorum for ordinary routine business, and five for any business which, in the opinion of the Chairman of the Committee, may be considered of a special nature.
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15.The first Committee of Management shall continue to function up to the date of the first annual meeting of the new Borough Council to be elected in 1923.
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The term of office of the second Committee, and subsequent Committees, of Management shall be decided by the Borough when appointing same.
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16.The Committee of Management shall submit their annual estimate and demand to the Borough Council for its requirements for the ensuing year. A special meeting of the Committee shall be summoned on or before the 15th January in each financial year at which the Secretary shall submit his estimate of the liabilities and requirements of the Committee to be provided for by the Borough Council during the ensuing financial year, and the Committee shall by resolution, to be recorded on the minutes of the meeting, adopt the same with or without amendments, and shall thereupon make Estimate and Demand under their Seal, for the amount required, and shall transmit same to the Borough Council, and a certified copy to the Local Government Department. Should the Committee fail to make such Estimate and Demand within the specified time, the Secretary shall be empowered to furnish a copy of his Estimate to the Clerk of the Borough Council, and to the Local Government Department.
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17.The Committee of Management may appoint a Treasurer who shall be a Banking Company.
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18.The accounts of the Committee of Management shall be audited half-yearly by an Auditor of the Local Government Department, and the existing enactments and regulations governing audit shall be adopted accordingly.
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19.The Committee shall be charged with the general management and administration of the Home, with a view to affecting external and internal economies, and to the utilisation of the inmate labour as far as possible Quarterly reports shall be furnished by the Committee to the Borough Council, and certified copies of same directed to the Local Government Department.
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LIMERICK COUNTY SCHEME.
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1.That each Poor Law Union in the County be abolished, and that institutional provision be made only for such cases as cannot be discharged from the existing institutions.
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2.That the Workhouses at Kilmallock and Rathkeale be completely closed and disposed of for National use as factories, mills or other industrial purposes that will create employment.
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3.That Croom and Newcastle West Workhouses pass out of the hands of their respective Boards of Guardians, and be governed by a Committee of Management or Governing Body, the Governing Body to consist of fourteen members; each District Council in the County appointing one member, and the County Council six members; each member to be an elected representative of the people. That the one Body govern both institutions.
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4.That the institution at Croom be called the County Hospital, and the institution at Newcastle West be called the County Home.
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5.That all sick inmates (belonging to County Limerick) in the Work-houses at Newcastle West, Rathkeale, Croom, Kilmallock, in Mallow Workhouse, belonging to Kilmallock Union, within the County; in Fermoy Workhouse, belonging to Mitchelstown No. 2 Rural District; in Limerick Workhouse, belonging to Limerick No. 1 Rural District; in Limerick Workhouse, belonging to Tipperary No. 2 Rural District; in Listowel Workhouse, belonging to Glin Rural District, be transferred to the County Hospital at Croom.
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6.That all aged, infirm, epileptics, idiots, incurables, and advanced cases of tuberculosis, in the above Workhouses and Rural Districts belonging to the County Limerick, be transferred to the County Home at Newcastle West.
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7.That the system of boarding-out be adopted where at all practicable as tending to economy.
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8.Orphans and deserted children between the ages of 2 and 7 years to be boarded-out, or failing same to be put into orphanages; children under 2 years of age to be put out to nurse; all other children eligible for Glin District School to be sent there. The present Board of Guardians to take immediate steps to carry out this part of the scheme.
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9.Unmarried mothers with their children to take their discharge from the different workhouses.
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10.Cost of transfer and conveyance of inmates and patients to be a County charge.
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11.That all officials who are compulsorily obliged to retire by reason of the foregoing scheme be compensated for loss of office according to the maximum scale hitherto in existence, and where a Board of Guardians consider it right to mark their appreciation of meritorious service on the part of any official, they may be at liberty to add to his or her service a number of years as they may deem suitable, for the purpose of calculating the superannuation allowances, subject to the sanction of the Department of Local Government.
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12.That the rationing system be abolished in the new institutions, the equivalent in money to be allowed.
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13.That the Governing Body appoint a staff of officials for the County Home and Hospital; that retired officials be re-appointed as far as possible, so as to avoid payment of pensions, and that each Union get its fair value of appointments according to merit.
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14.That Lay Nurses be engaged in the County Hospital and an Order of Nuns in the County Home.
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15.That for the present the several Rural District Councils function for outdoor relief, medical charities, and other non-poor relief purposes.
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16.The Governing Body to appoint their own Treasurer for each institution, and to be supplied with funds direct by the County Councils. The Governing Body to prepare their own Estimate and Demand on the County Council; the existing Estimate and Demands for the coming year to be reduced by such sum to meet expenses from date of opening of institutions to the 31st March next.
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17.Each Union or Rural District to contribute towards the expenses of the County Hospital and Home according to the number of inmates maintained therein.
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18.Charges at the County Hospital and Home to be at per head as made out at the end of each half-year on collective number of days system. Moneys from paying patients to be credited to their respective Rural Districts.
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19.Separate accounts to be kept for each Rural District in so far as the operation of the scheme affects the Rural Districts.
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20.The Governing Body to be charged with the duty of managing the institutions with due regard, not only to efficiency, but also to economy, and of introducing improvements in the management of the institutions as will lead to still further economies. The inmates to be employed and kept at work according to their capacity and ability, and thus avoid the expense of paid help as far as possible.
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21.Limerick Union Workhouse to be left out of the scheme as agreed on at meeting of the 6th June, 1921, except that portion of the Union which comprises Limerick No. 1 Rural District. The several Boards of Guardians in the Amalgamated Unions to be abolished, and that the work in connection with outdoor relief, medical charities, etc., to be carried out by the respective District Councils.
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22.The Board of Management to take over, at an agreed valuation, all serviceable stocks in the Workhouses to be closed, a competent valuator to be engaged for this purpose.
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23.By arrangements with hospitals in neighbouring counties, and with Limerick County Infirmary and Limerick City Hospital, that “Urgent Sick Cases” from Rural Districts not easily accessible to the County Hospital at Croom, may be sent to these institutions and charged at a fixed sum per head, per week, as may be arranged between the Governing Body and such institutions. This method to be employed only in extreme cases.
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24.Admission tickets to the County Hospital and Home to be obtained from members of the Governing Body and every District Councillor of a Rural District in the County Scheme; also medical officers. No admission of patients to the County Hospital unless on a doctor's certificate. The bona fides of the applicant to be vouched by persons issuing tickets, special attention being directed to scale of charges which applicant can afford.
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25.A scale of maintenance charges to be drawn up by the Governing Body for paying patients in the Hospital and Home.
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26.That deceased persons in the County Hospital and County Home be conveyed, at the expense of the Governing Body, to the Parish Church of their native district, and in the case of poor persons, that a coffin and shroud be provided.
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27.That in case of dereliction or irregularities of duty of the officials in the County institutions, the official in charge to be empowered to suspend such person and report the case to the next meeting of the Governing Body.
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28.Meetings of the Governing Body to be held fortnightly at the County Council Chamber, Limerick, or when decided, at the County Hospital, Croom, or County Home, Newcastle West; a special meeting may be called by the Chairman, or on the requisition of any two members. That five members form a quorum.
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29.Additions or alterations of any of these rules may be made by the Governing Body at any time, after due notice to each member, same to be submitted to the Local Government Department for approval.
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30.That the whole Scheme of Amalgamation of Unions in the County be revised after two years, if necessary.
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LONGFORD COUNTY SCHEME.
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1.Close existing Workhouses in Granard and Ballymahon.
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2.Form for whole County a Central Institution at Longford. Workhouse buildings to be used for the purpose, to be called “The County Longford Home.”
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3.The institution at Longford to comprise:— (a) Central Hospital for treatment of Medical and Surgical cases. (b) An Hospital for Infectious Diseases. (c) A Central Home for Infirm, aged and chronic Invalids. (d) Expectant mothers (unmarried).
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4.Inmates of Granard and Ballymahon Workhouses to be transferred to Central Home as soon as possible after scheme is sanctioned.
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5.Children at present in Workhouses of Granard, Ballymahon and Longford to be boarded-out, amount for boarding-out to be settled by Home Committee.
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6.Inmates in these Workhouses chargeable to other Counties to be transferred to their respective Counties.
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7.That Central Institution at Longford, distribution of outdoor relief and other work hitherto carried out by Board of Guardians be administered by a Committee of Management to be known as “The Longford Home Committee” formed as follows:— 11 County Councillors—3 from each Rural District, with Chairman and Vice-Chairman as ex-officio Members of Committee.
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9 Guardians—3 from each Rural District.
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2 Urban Councillors—one from each Urban District.
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22 in all.
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Three members to form a quorum. Committee to come into office on a day to be named. Committee to be elected annually.
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Each of above bodies to select Representatives on “Home Committee.”
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8.The Union as an Administrative area to be abolished.
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9.Rural Districts to be retained for the present for purpose of administration under Central Committee of Management, and for road business under County Council. Charges at County Hospital to be at so much per head as made out at end of each half year on collective number of days system. Amount paid by patients to be credited to Rural District.
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Cases treated at Central Hospital not chargeable to any Rural District in the County to be regarded as County-at-Large charges.
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10.Granard and Longford Urban Districts to be considered for purposes of this Schedule as Granard and Longford Rural District.
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11.R. D. Councils to appoint District Committees to deal with applications for temporary allowance, etc. Committee of ten would be sufficient. Three to form a quorum.
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12.One Central Officer to be appointed to act as Clerk or Secretary to Hospital and Home Committee.
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13.In Central Institution provision should be made for following staffs: (a) Present Medical Officer Longford Workhouse. (b) Superintendent. (c) Matron. (d) Requisite number of Nurses and Attendants. (e) A Porter.
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14.Applications for temporary allowance to be made on Special Forms. Councillor for District must vouch for in writing the bona fides of the applicant. These applications when dealt with by District Committee will be forwarded with recommendations to Hospital Home Committee. Payment when authorised to be made by Paying Orders and posted to applicants. Where necessary books of Paying Orders covering a period to be sent to applicant. Each Order to be dated as to when payment is available.
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Term “temporary allowance” to be substituted for “outdoor relief.”
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15.To meet urgent cases every Urban Councillor, and every District Councillor will be supplied with “Emergency Help Forms.” These forms are to be used in case it was necessary to provide for a burial or supply a coffin. All emergency help cases dealt with to be brought before next meeting of District Committee in area concerned and in Form prescribed.
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16.Separate accounts to be kept for each Rural District at office of Central Institution in so far as the scheme affects the Rural District Councils.
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17.Demands made formerly by Board of Guardians to be now made by Hospital and House Committee who will receive monies direct from County Councils.
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18.Stocktaker to be appointed to value the articles taken from various Unions to furnish County Home, and that each Union be credited with value of such Stock.
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19.That each Board of Guardians be responsible for transfer of their inmates to Central institution.
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Superannuation of Officers.
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20.That all officers entitled to superannuation and whose offices will be abolished under the Amalgamation Scheme be superannuated. That each officer whose service is over ten years be granted a superannuation at the rate of one-sixtieth of his or her present salary and emoluments for each year's service. For the purpose of this article the length of service is to be taken as the actual number of years each officer has served with the addition of 50 per cent. of such actual service provided that in no case shall the superannuation exceed two-thirds of the present salary and emoluments of such officer. This addition of 50 per cent. of the number of years' service is granted for compensation for the abolition of office and the officials whose offices are abolished are to have no further claim for loss of office beyond what is provided for in this article. On this scheme being sanctioned the Boards of Guardians shall give the necessary notice of abolition of office to each official concerned, and should pass a resolution granting to such officials a superannuation on the basis laid down by this Article.
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In the case of an officer entitled to a gratuity whose actual service is ten years or less, and whose office is to be abolished under the Amalgamation Scheme, the scale of gratuity as laid down in the seventh Schedule of the Local Government (Ireland) Act, 1898 , be applicable and reckoned on the salary and emoluments of such officer on the date of abolition of his office. The payment of gratuities shall be at the discretion of the County Council be extended over a period not exceeding five years, payable quarterly. Officers who are thus compensated shall have no further claim for loss of office, and the procedure as regards termination of appointments and grant of gratuities and compensation shall be as set out above in the case of superannuations and compensations.
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21.Average weekly cost per capita to be charged to each Rural District, according to number of inmates, and establishment charges to be a proportional charge on a valuation basis.
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Note.—Any matter or thing arising under this scheme not provided for to be settled between the local bodies affected with the approval of the County Council and the Local Government Board.
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MAYO COUNTY SCHEME.
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1.All the Workhouses in the County to be closed, and all inmates appropriate to the Workhouse, as such, to be transferred on a date to be named to the Central Workhouse at Castlebar. (See par. 6.) 2. The Hospitals attached to the Workhouses at Ballinrobe, Claremorris and Westport to be closed and the patients to be transferred to the Central Hospital at Castlebar. The Central Hospital will serve the Union areas heretofore catered for by the Hospitals of Ballinrobe, Claremorris, Westport and Castlebar, and will serve also the County for all cases which may be described as chronic, and which are not admissible to District Hospitals.
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3.A small Fever Hospital will remain open at Belmullet for fever cases only.
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4.Portion of the Hospital presently attached to Swinford Workhouse to be set aside as a District Hospital for a limited number of cases only (hereinafter specified—see par. 21).
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5.A similar Hospital to that at Swinford to be retained at Ballina (See par. 21).
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ADMINISTRATION.
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6.The Central Home and Hospital at Castlebar shall be managed by a Committee of Management, to be known as the “Home and Hospitals Committee.” The Committee shall be comprised as follows:— Two members of each Union in the County, one of whom shall be the Chairman of the Rural District Council; 1 member from each Urban Council; 8 members from the County Council. The Committee shall have power to and shall co-opt 3 other members who shall be women.
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It is desirable for obvious reasons to have women representatives on the Committee. If it is possible to effect this provision from amongst the representatives of the bodies concerned, the question of co-option shall not necessarily arise.
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Three members of the Committee shall form a quorum for ordinary routine business, and five shall form a quorum for any business which, in the opinion of the Chairman of the Committee, may be considered of a special nature.
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A special meeting of each body having representation on the Home and Hospitals Committee shall be convened to meet on a date to be named for the purpose of appointing representatives to the Home and Hospitals Committee. These special meetings shall be held as soon as possible after the Scheme of Amalgamation shall have been adopted by the County Council, and sanctioned by the Local Government Department of Dáil Eireann.
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7.The term of office of the Home and Hospitals Committee shall be the same as that of the present County Council, and shall continue to function up to the date of the first annual meeting of the new County Council. The first Home and Hospitals Committee shall hold office for the same period as the present County Council, and succeeding Committee shall be appointed for triennial periods.
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8.The Home and Hospitals Committee shall submit their Annual Estimate and Demand to the County Council for its requirements for the ensuing year. A special meeting of the Committee shall be summoned on or before the 15th January in each financial year, at which the Clerk shall submit his Estimate of the liabilities and requirements of the Committee to be provided for by the County Council during the ensuing financial year, and the Committee shall, by resolution, to be recorded in the Minutes of the meeting, adopt the same with or without amendments, and shall thereupon make the Estimate and Demand under their Seal for the amount required, and shall transmit same with dispatch to the County Council, and a certified copy to the Local Government Department. Should the Committee fail to make such Estimate and Demand within the specified time, the Clerk of the Committee shall be empowered to furnish a copy of his Estimate to the Secretary of the County Council and to the Local Government Department.
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For the present financial year the County Council shall, on demand from the Home and Hospitals Committee, advance such sums as shall be deemed necessary to finance the new Home.
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9.The Home and Hospitals Committee shall appoint their own Treasurer which shall be a Banking Company.
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Audit.
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10.The accounts of the Home and Hospitals Committee shall be audited half-yearly by an Auditor of the Local Government Department of An Dáil, and the existing enactments and regulations as to audit shall be adapted accordingly.
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11.The Committee shall be charged with the general management and administration of the Home and Hospital, with a view to effecting external and internal economies, and to the utilising of inmate labour as far as possible. Quarterly reports shall be furnished by the Committee to the Mayo County Council and certified copies of same directed to the Local Government Department of Dáil Eireann.
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12.The Committee shall adopt such Standing Orders and Regulations as shall be deemed necessary by the Local Government Department of An Dáil.
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Administration.
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13.The Committee shall make the following appointments, and shall define the respective duties of office:— (a) An Accountant-Secretary to Home and Hospitals Committee, and whose duties shall be defined. (b) A Matron who must be a trained nurse; duties to be defined. (c) Requisite number of Nurses and Attendants. (d) A Storekeeper, duties to be defined. (e) A Porter.
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Medical.
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As a temporary arrangement the present Medical Officer of the Workhouse at Castlebar, and the Surgeon of the County Infirmary shall be the Medical Staff. The remuneration in connection with these offices to be fixed by the Committee. When financial conditions permit one whole-time Medical Officer shall be appointed to discharge the duties of the Home and of the Hospital.
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All appointments shall be temporary for a period of six months, and the salary attaching to such office shall be subject to revision with the approval of the Local Government Department at the end of the period. The appointment shall then be made permanent conditional on satisfactory service having been given. Preference shall be given to officers who shall have been superannuated under the Scheme of Amalgamation.
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Intimation of appointments shall be made through public advertisement, and canvassing shall be regarded as a disqualification.
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Sub-Committees.
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14.For the purposes of administering Public Assistance in Kind, Medical Charities, and such other matters as were hitherto dealt with by the Board of Guardians, a Sub-Committee consisting of five members shall be appointed by each Rural District Council.
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Two of these shall be members of the County Committee and two shall be actual members of a local charitable organisation. Three members of each sub-committee shall form a quorum.
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15.The Boards of Guardians shall cease to exist from the date of the formation of the Home and Hospitals Committee and their functions shall be taken over by the sub-committees.
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Public Assistance in Kind.
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16.The term outdoor relief shall be substituted by that of Public Assistance in Kind.
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Administration of Public Assistance in Kind.
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The offices of all Relieving Officers as such shall be terminated (see par. 27) and the future administration of Public Assistance in Kind shall be as follows:— Each Sub-Committee to appoint from among its members an Honorary Secretary, who shall discharge the clerical work of the Sub-Committee.
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Applications on Form A for Public Assistance in Kind shall be received by the Sub-Committee who shall meet fortnightly to consider same, and make their recommendations to the Home and Hospitals Committee on Form A.
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These recommendations shall be made to the Home and Hospitals Committee at its regular meetings for approval or disapproval.
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When sanction has been obtained the Committee of Management shall invite the co-operation of the local charitable organisation, to whom vouchers shall be sent. These vouchers shall entitle applicants to Public Assistance in Kind and shall be distributed to them by the local charitable organisation. The latter by visitation and vigilance shall ensure that the necessary assistance is obtained each week from the Purveyor to whom the voucher is directed by the Home and Hospitals Committee.
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The local charitable organisation shall make monthly reports as to the condition and circumstances of the recipients and investigate any complaints that may arise. At the end of each month the Purveyor who has supplied goods against vouchers shall furnish his account to the local charitable organisation, who shall then check and certify same and transmit it to the Home and Hospitals Committee for payment.
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In cases of extreme urgency the Sub-Committee shall be empowered to administer immediate relief. For this purpose special emergency assistance forms shall be provided by the Home and Hospitals Committee; such emergency forms shall be available until such times only as the Home and Hospitals Committee shall have an opportunity for issuing the ordinary vouchers.
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Children.
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17.The Home and Hospitals Committee shall be charged with the duty of boarding out all or as many as possible of the institution children. The Sub-Committees shall assist the Home and Hospitals Committee in the matter of procuring suitable foster-parents in the districts under their control and shall report regularly on the condition of the children as shall have been already boarded out. The Home and Hospitals Committee shall see that children are boarded out as soon as possible—no child over the age of 3 years to be retained in the Central Institution. Should it be found impracticable to board out certain children the Committee at their discretion may have them transferred to an Industrial School or similar institution.
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Unmarried Expectant Mothers and Unmarried Mothers.
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18.A separate apartment in the Central Institution will for the present have to be set aside to deal with this class.
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Central Home.
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The following divisions have been recommended for the Central Home:—(a) Boys; (b) Girls; (c) Males, aged and infirm and epileptics; (d) Females, aged and infirm and epileptics; (e) Males, idiots and imbeciles (temporary); (g) Expectant mothers unmarried (temporary).
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Idiots and Imbeciles.
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19.The Home and Hospitals Committee shall, with the consent of the Committee of Management of the County Asylum, arrange that persons falling under this section shall be housed in the Asylum buildings. Pending such arrangement this class shall be housed in a separate department of the Central Home.
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Dispensary Districts.
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20.Dispensary District and Dispensary Doctors shall not for the present be interfered with.
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District Hospitals.
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21.The management of the District Hospitals shall be entrusted to the Sub-Committee of the Rural District Councils, and each Sub-Committee shall co-opt two women members to assist in the supervision of the Hospital. The Sub-Committee should carry out frequent visits to the Hospital, and such visits should be impromptu. The meetings of these Sub-Committees shall be held monthly on a date to be fixed by the Home and Hospitals Committee, to whom a quarterly report shall be submitted. A certified copy of the same report shall be forwarded to the Local Government Department.
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The internal administration of the Hospital shall be carried out by the Medical Officer of the present Workhouse and the Nursing Sister in charge. Suitable account books and documents shall be provided for this purpose. No extra remuneration shall be allowed for clerical work done by the Medical Officer and Sister in Charge.
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The Sub-Committee shall be directly responsible to the Home and Hospitals Committee for all its actions. The Home and Hospitals Committee shall have power to dissolve such Sub-Committee on giving six months' notice of its intention, but such dissolution shall not invalidate any act done by the Sub-Committee prior to its dissolution.
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The Sub-Committee shall rely for its funds upon the Rural District Council, and shall for this purpose present an Annual Estimate and Demand which will have been sanctioned previously by the Home and Hospitals Committee.
\n
For the present year the Home and Hospitals Committee shall provide funds to meet requirements. The admission of cases to the District Hospitals shall be strictly limited to urgent surgical and urgent medical cases. A list of such cases as are deemed eligible for admission shall be compiled by the Local Government Department.
\n
All cases of a chronic nature are not to be admitted, but must be sent for treatment to the Central Home at Castlebar.
\n
22.Patients admitted to the District Hospitals shall be obliged to pay for maintenance and attendance according to capacity. A paying patients' book shall be kept for recording all such transactions, and the monies received from this source shall be lodged with a duly appointed Treasurer, who shall be a Banking Company.
\n
Home Nursing.
\n
23.The Home and Hospitals Committee may, when finance admits of it, adopt a system of home nursing, and to this end may appoint District Nurses, the areas of whose activities and duties shall be defined later. Their duties shall include:—(a) Visits to the homes of the poor, thereby giving timely aid and useful hints towards the prevention of sickness; (b) Instruction as to management and cleanliness of homes and children; (c) Advice as to proper food for the sick; (d) The carrying out of disinfecting and other work under the Public Health Acts now done by untrained officials.
\n
24.Each Board of Guardians shall be responsible for the transference of their own inmates to the Central Home, on a date to be fixed by the Home and Hospitals Committee. Failing the carrying out of transference by Boards of Guardians the said Home and Hospitals Committee shall be empowered to board out children and such other inmates as they think advisable; to discharge able-bodied persons; and to arrange for the transference of the remainder to the Central Home. The expense of transference to the Central Home shall be borne by the Guardians. All children not boarded out are to be transferred to the Home on the day specified.
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25.A Stocktaker shall be appointed as soon as possible to value the articles taken from the various Unions for use at the Central Home and Hospital. Each Union shall be credited with the value of such articles or stock as may be taken. The fee of such Stocktaker to be paid by the Home and Hospitals Committee.
\n
26.On a date to be fixed by the Local Government Department, the Guardians in each Union shall call a Special Meeting to terminate the appointments of all officials and of all other employees whose offices and employment cease simultaneously with the coming into operation of the Amalgamation Scheme.
\n
Where the Clerk of the Union is also Clerk of the Rural District Council his office as Clerk of Union shall be abolished, and he shall be superannuated. (See Par. 27).
\n
The following offices and employments are under this section terminated:—Clerk of Union, Master, Matron, Chaplain, Nurses, Porter, Attendants, both male and female; Wardsmaids, and all others who are not specifically mentioned under the above heads.
\n
Superannuation.
\n
27.All officers whose offices are abolished and who are entitled to superannuation shall be superannuated (subject to the condition that in the event of any superannuated officer obtaining a position under the County Council or the Home and Hospitals Committee, or any other public body under the jurisdiction of the County Council, he shall forfeit the amount of his superannuation, provided the salary of his or her new position is equal to or greater than that amount), as follows:— Each officer whose service is over ten years shall be granted superannuation at the rate of one-sixtieth of his or her present salary and emoluments for each year's service. The length of service shall be taken as the actual number of years served with the addition of 50 per cent. of such actual service, provided that in no case shall the superannuation exceed two-thirds of the present salary and emoluments of such offices. The addition of 50 per cent, of the number of years service is granted as compensation for the abolition of office, and the officials whose offices are abolished shall have no further claim beyond what is provided for in this section.
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The amount of an officer's emoluments shall be calculated on the basis of the average of such emoluments for the three completed years prior to his retirement.
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Gratuity.
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28.Where an officer who is entitled to a gratuity, and whose office is abolished under the Scheme, the amount of the gratuity reckoned on the salary and emoluments of such officer on the date of abolition of his office shall be as follows:— If his service has not exceeded two half-years, one year's salary and emoluments.
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If his service has exceeded two half-years, one year's salary and emoluments plus one-quarter of same for each half-year which he has served above the two first half-years, but not exceeding in any case five years' net emoluments. The amount of the officers' emoluments shall be calculated on the average of three completed half-years immediately preceding the retirement.
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Payment of Gratuities may be made quarterly or half-yearly should the finances not permit of payment of a bulk sum.
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Objections to the amount of either superannuation or gratuity may be referred to the Local Government Department, whose decision shall be final.
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29.The funds required to carry out the preceding Sections 27 and 28 shall be obtained by way of loan by the County Council, and the repayment of the instalments and interest thereon shall be a charge upon the appropriate Rural Districts.
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MEATH COUNTY SCHEME.
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1.That all Workhouses and Workhouse Hospitals as such be closed.
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2.That a Hospital for the whole County, to be known as the Meath County Hospital, be established at Navan. The Workhouse buildings there to be utilised for the purpose.
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3.That none but acute medical and surgical cases be treated in the County Hospital.
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4.That a Home for the whole County, to be known as the Meath County Home, be established at Trim. The Workhouse buildings there to be utilised for the purpose.
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5.That all ordinary Workhouse inmates of County Meath who cannot be boarded out be sent to the Home.
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6.That the County Home and Hospital be administered by a Committee of Management formed after the following manner:— 17 Members appointed by the County Council.
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2 Members appointed by each Rural District Council in the County.
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1 Member appointed by each Urban District Council in the County.
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All future appointments to be directed by the County Council.
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7.That regulations governing the business of the County Home and Hospital be made by the Committee of Management, subject to the sanction of the Local Government Department.
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8.That each District Council subscribe per capita to the upkeep of the County Home and Hospital.
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Separate accounts to be kept at the Offices of the County Home and Hospital for each Rural District in as far as the operation of the Scheme affects each Rural District.
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Urban Districts to be regarded as part of the Rural District in which they lie.
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9.That Demands on the County Council hitherto made by Boards of Guardians in the County be made by the Committee of Management, and subject to the sanction of the County Council. The monies to be paid direct to the Committee of Management by the County Council.
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10.That all appointments of officials to the County Home and Hospital and regulations as to salaries be made by the Committee of Management subject to the sanction of the Local Government Department.
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11.That in the interests of the Ratepayers new appointments be filled from the ranks of existing officials where possible.
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12.That the Committee of Management fix a scale of Hospital fees on a valuation basis, ranging from full maintenance for such patients as can afford it to nil for the very poor.
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13.That a Stocktaker be appointed as soon as possible to value the articles in the various Unions.
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A Sub-Committee to be appointed to confer with the Louth County Council with regard to stock taking in Drogheda and Ardee Workhouses.
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The fee of such stock-taker to be paid by the Committee of Management.
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14.That a Sub-Committee be appointed to confer with the Louth County Council with reference to the apportionment of liability in the payment of superannuation to officials in Drogheda and Ardee Unions.
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15.That each Board of Guardians be responsible for the transference of inmates of its Union to the County Home and Hospital on a date to be fixed by the Committee of Management, and not later than January 1st, 1922.
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16.That the Committee of Management go into the question of reorganisation of method of distribution of Out-door Relief with a view to effecting economies consistent with an improved relief of the poor.
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17.That the Committee of Management furnish quarterly reports to the Meath County Council.
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18.That all appointments of officials to the County Home and Hospital for the first year be of a purely temporary nature.
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19.That an officer in each of the Workhouses in the County be made per sonally and directly responsible for all stock and property during the transfer.
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20.That an efficient motor ambulance service be established and maintained throughout the County.
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21.That it be clearly understood among existing officials that the Home and Hospital about to be established are new Institutions, and that the officials at Navan and Trim have no greater claim on the new appointments than the officials of any other Union in County Meath.
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22.That this Scheme come into operation on January 1st, 1922.
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23.That in order to provide for adjustment of accounts between the different Counties, parts of which made up the old Union Areas, instructions be given the various Guardians to pension off all indoor officials, Medical Officers of Workhouses, Clerks, and R.O.'s, in accordance with Circulars 53 and 55 of the Local Government Department, reserving to the Committee of Management the right to continue in office or its employment any suitable officer whose services might be required under the new system.
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24.That from January 1st, 1922, the Boards of Guardians in the County cease to function as such—the Union as an administrative area to be abolished—and the representatives of this County withdraw from the two Workhouses outside the County to which the County at present contributes.
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25.That the Committee of Management be appointed, and hold a preliminary Meeting not later than November, 26th, 1921, for the purpose of taking such steps as are necessary to have the Scheme in operation on January 1st, 1922, the Secretary to the County Council to act as Secretary to the Committee of Management pending the appointment of a Secretary.
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Distribution of Poor Relief.
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1.A Sub-Committee of the Hospital and Home Committee to look after the distribution of Outdoor Relief. This Committee to meet once each fortnight, and report to the Hospital and Home Committee.
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2.Under the new System (in which there will be no Relieving Officers) applications for outdoor relief to be made on special forms. The bona fides of the applicant to be vouched for by the Councillor living in the neighbourhood. Those applications when dealt with by the Sub-Committee of the District to be forwarded with recommendations to the Hospital and Home Committee. Payment when authorised to be made by means of Paying Orders covering a period to be sent to applicant; the post to be used for transmission.
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3.To meet the urgent cases every representative of an Urban District and Rural District to be supplied with Emergency Help Forms. These forms are also intended for use in cases formerly dealt with by a Relieving Officer in case where it is necessary to provide for a burial, or to supply a coffin. As in the case of application for help (Form H.H., 1), all cases of Emergency Help to be brought before the next meeting of the Sub-Committee in the area concerned and in the forms prescribed.
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4.Rural District Councils to appoint Sub-Committees to deal with applications for Outdoor Relief.
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5.Sub-Committees to meet at least once each week and report to Hospital and Home Sub-Committee.
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MONAGHAN COUNTY SCHEME.
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1.To form for the whole County an Institution to be called a Home, the Workhouse buildings in Monaghan to be used for that purpose.
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2.To close the Workhouse at Clones, Castleblaney, and Carrickmacross.
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3.Clones and Carrickmacross Workhouse Hospitals to be retained for the present as District Hospitals, Clones to serve the northern portion of the County, and Carrickmacross the southern portion. A maternity ward to be provided in each Hospital.
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4.The Home to accommodate all the aged and infirm, harmless lunatics, imbeciles, and chronic cases.
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5.Hospitals to be used only for cases requiring temporary treatment.
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6.All children to be boarded out where possible.
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7.A separate ward in Home to be set apart for incurable consumptives.
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8.The County Home to be administered by a Committee, to be called the County Home Committee (until after the next County Council election, when the County Council will take over administration of Home), constituted as follows:—10 Members appointed by the County Council, 4 appointed by each Rural District Council, and 1 appointed by each Urban Council of the County. (Seven members to form a quorum).
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9.The District Hospital to be administered by a Committee appointed by the Local District Council of the respective districts in which the Hospitals are situated.
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10.The “Union” as an administrative area to be abolished.
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11.Each Rural District to be charged its proportion of cost of upkeep of Home according to the number of patients admitted from such Rural District, the cost to be reckoned at end of each half-year upon a collective number of days system. Payments made by patients towards their cost of maintenance to be credited to the Rural District from which the patients are admitted.
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12.Carrickmacross, Castleblaney, Clones, and Monaghan Urban Districts to be considered as part of Carrickmacross, Castleblaney, Clones, and Monaghan Rural Districts, respectively, for the working of the Scheme.
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13.All patients to contribute towards cost of maintenance according to their means.
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14.For economic reasons the present system of outdoor relief will not be changed. The four Relieving Officers at present working will, therefore, be retained, but according as vacancies occur the positions will not be filled.
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15.As a result of the closing of the Workhouses and the change of administration of the Poor Law system generally, all work hitherto carried out by the Boards of Guardians will now be administered by the County Home Committee, thus the positions of all officers whose services are not required are to be abolished, and the said officers to be granted superannuation allowance. In the Home provision to be made for the following:emdash/>Clerk, Registrar, Matron, Porter, Medical Officer, and the requisite number of Nurses and Attendants. In each District Hospital the staff to consist of Medical Officer, Head Nurse, Assistant Nurse, and Wardsmaid.
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All above appointments to be made temporary, to hold office for six months only. In the meantime all positions to be publicly advertised, and permanent officials appointed. Officials existing at time of amalgamation to get preference if found competent.
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OFFALY COUNTY SCHEME.
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1.To close the Workhouses at Birr, Edenderry, and Tullamore, and the County Infirmary in Tullamore.
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2.To form for the whole County a Central Institution at Tullamore, the Workhouse Buildings there to be used for that purpose.
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3.The Institution at Tullamore to comprise:— (a) Central Hospital for the treatment of medical and surgical cases, to be known as Offaly County Hospital. (b) A Hospital for the treatment of Fever cases, to be known as Offaly Fever Hospital. (c) A Central Home for aged, infirm, and chronic invalids.
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4.Inmates of Birr, Edenderry, and Tullamore Workhouses chargeable on the County of Offaly, who cannot be boarded out to be transferred to the Central Institution.
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5.Inmates in those Workhouses chargeable on other Counties to be transferred to their respective Counties.
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This will involve in the case of Birr provision being made by Tipperary North Riding Council for the taking over from the Birr Guardians inmates chargeable on that County; in the case of Edenderry similar steps would have to be taken by Kildare and Meath Councils; and in the case of Tullamore the Westmeath Council would have to make like provision.
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6.Inmates in Roscrea and Mountmellick Workhouses, chargeable on the County of Offaly, to be transferred to Central Institution at Tullamore.
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7.Only persons to whom the system of boarding out cannot be applied to receive Institutional treatment. In all possible cases help to be given to people in their homes.
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The closing of Workhouses and the alteration of the present system of Outdoor Relief necessarily call for a change of administration. The Committee, after careful consideration, decided:— 8. That the Central Institution at Tullamore, the distribution of Outdoor Relief, and the other work hitherto carried out by Boards of Guardians, except work under Registrar-General, be administered by a Committee of Management, to be known as Hospitals and Homes Committee, formed after the following manner:— 6 Members to be appointed by Birr District Council, 6 by Tullamore, 4 by Edenderry, 3 by Roscrea, 1 each by two Urban Councils, and 10 by County Council. Three to form a quorum for ordinary routine work; 7 in all other cases. This Committee to come into office after next annual meeting of the County Council. The work of transferring inmates, patients, and other necessary details, to be carried out in the interval by Special Committee.
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9.The “Union” as an administrative area to be abolished.
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10.The Rural Districts to be retained as at present for the purposes of administration under Committee of Management in the following way:— Each Rural District to pay all expenses peculiar to itself; charges at County Home and County Hospital to be at per head, as made out at end of each half-year on collective number of days system. In this connection payments made by patients to be credited to the Rural District from which the patients are admitted. Persons admitted to Central Institution, and not chargeable to any Rural District within the County, are to be regarded as County-at-Large Charges.
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11.Birr Urban and Tullamore Urban District to be considered, for purposes under the Scheme, as part of Birr and Tullamore Rural Districts, respectively.
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12.The Rural District Councils to appoint Sub-Committees to deal with applications for Outdoor Relief, and for the management of the District Hospitals at Birr and Edenderry, which it is found necessary to keep open temporarily owing to transit difficulties.
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13.Two Central Officers to be appointed, one to act as Clerk to Hospitals and Homes Committee, and one to perform the duties of super-intending the distribution of Outdoor Relief and inspection of Boarded-out Children.
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14.In the Central Institution provision to be made for the following Staff:— (a) As a temporary arrangement the Medical Staff to be composed of the present M.O. of the Workhouse at Tullamore and the Surgeon of the County Infirmary. (b) A Matron, who must be a fully qualified Nurse—Sister of present Community suggested. (c) Requisite number of Nurses and Attendants. (d) A Clerk to act as Registrar, whose duties will be defined by the Management Committee. (e) A Porter.
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15.In the District Hospitals:— Owing to the temporary nature of the District Hospitals at Birr and Edenderry the staff at these Hospitals to be reduced to the lowest number required pending complete closing. In the meantime Head Nurse to be responsible for administration, who should be assisted by a Registrar appointed at a nominal salary.
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16.Under new system (under which there will be no Relieving Officers) applications for out-door relief to be made on special forms. The bona fides of the applicant to be vouched for by the Councillor living in the neighbourhood. Those applications when dealt with by the Sub-Committee of the District to be forwarded with recommendations to the Hospitals' and Homes' Committee. Payment, when authorised, to be made by means of Paying Orders. Where necessary and advisable books of Paying Orders covering a period, to be sent to applicant, the post to be used for transmission.
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17.To meet urgent cases every representative of an Urban District and every District Councillor to be supplied with Emergency Help Forms. Those forms are also intended for use in cases formerly dealt with by a Relieving Officer, in case where it is necessary to provide for a burial or to supply a coffin. As in the case of Application for Help (Form H.H.l) all cases of Emergency Help to be brought before the next meeting of the Sub-Committee in the area concerned, and in the Form prescribed.
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18.Separate accounts to be kept at Offices of Central Institution for each Rural District, in so far as the operation of the Scheme affects the Rural District Councils.
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19.Demands on County Councils hitherto made by Boards of Guardians in the County to be made by Hospitals and Homes Committee, who will receive the monies direct from County Council.
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20.In order to provide for adjustment of accounts between the different Counties, parts of which made up the old Union areas, instructions were given the various Guardians to pension off all indoor officials, Medical Officers of Workhouses, Clerks, and R.O's., reserving to the Special Committee the right to continue in Office or in its employment any suitable Officer whose services might be required under the new System. After this has been done the three Boards of Guardians attached to Workhouses within the County would cease to function (two have already done so), and the representatives from this County would withdraw from the two Workhouses outside the County to which we contribute.
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21.Home help must in future be dealt with in a more careful and uniform manner than in the past, and as far as possible abuses must be stopped. With this object in view the active co-operation of all District Councillors is requested and advocated.
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22.Boarding-out in the case of both adults and children has many advantages. In the case of adults, however, care must be taken that no persons of vicious habits receives any Help outside of an Institution, and that when Help is afforded to parents or others having children or young persons, or persons of weak intellect depending on them, it must be seen to that those dependents are properly provided for. In order to make good citizens special attention must be paid to the children. None should be allowed to remain in an Institution if possible. They should, from earliest years, be given an idea of the advantages of home life, as against Institution life. None should be placed in a town, but with respectable classes in the country districts.
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24.In the course of investigation of the system the geographical formation of Dispensary Districts, and the situation of the place of residence of the several Medical gentlemen comes under notice. In many instances the boundaries seem to have been made without any regard to the convenience of the sick poor or the doctors. The size and populations vary, too, in a very marked manner. The re-adjustment of these is a matter for consideration at a later date. This applies in a special way to Districts partly in and partly outside the County. For the present it is intended to pay on the area population basis our part of such salaries—the Outside County or Body concerned to pay the balance of the existing salary. This is to apply to both Dispensary Doctors and Nurses.
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25.Concerning the general internal administration of Hospitals and Homes, too much importance cannot be attached to the details. In the past the system of separate apartments, or sets of apartments, separate cooking, and other special arrangements for the officials employed, led to enormous waste. The fire and lighting bills alone for a few officers in one Institution, shown by ill-kept records, exceeded the Outdoor Relief in two Rural Districts. This must not continue. Arrangements must be made for the staff, somewhat similar to those for nurses in Training Institutions. In the case of the Central Institution the whole must be placed in the charge of a fully-qualified Nurse—a Sister of the Community at present engaged there would be a guarantee of satisfaction. A sitting-room and kitchen, or use of general existing kitchen, to be provided for staff, with bedrooms situated close by. These arrangements shut out married persons with families.
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26.As in the case of rations, a scale must be fixed regulating the issue of fuel and other allowances to offices of officers, and for the use of patients.
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27.A supply of forms necessary to be issued to Councillors of Sub and Central Committee; Clerk at Central Office to keep a record of inward as well as outward correspondence. Postage to be refunded Chairmen of Sub-Committees at end of financial period.
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28.The necessary change in method of keeping accounts by the various officers concerned have been made, and must be adhered to.
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29.For purposes of comparison and economy in Books and Forms, etc., a uniform Diet Scale for the District and Central Hospitals is recommended.
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30.Only urgent cases should be admitted to District Hospitals, and then only when much nearer District than Central, and in no Hospitals must chronic cases be kept.
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31.All patients should contribute towards their maintenance according to their means. Those receiving sick benefit allowances, and having no dependants, should in all cases contribute.
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32.Patients admitted, and paying full actual cost, to have the right to bring in any Medical Aid they please for consultation.
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34.The Scheme has secured the sanction of the Department of Local Government, and must in all its detail be put into immediate operation.
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ROSCOMMON COUNTY SCHEME.
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1.All the Workhouses in and for the County to be abolished as such.
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2.Poor Law Unions and Poor Law Guardians to cease to exist.
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3.The number of Rural District Councils to be reduced from seven to four, by amalgamating three small Rural Districts with adjoining larger ones in the county as follows:—Ballinasloe No. 2 with Athlone No. 2; Carrick-on-Shannon No. 2 with Boyle No. 1; and Strokestown with Roscommon.
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4.The business of the Boards of Guardians to be transferred as follows: (a) The portion relating to indoor relief to the County and District Councils acting through a Joint Committee appointed out of their respective bodies, called the “Roscommon County Home Committee.” (b) The portion relating to dispensary and outdoor relief and other non-poor relief purposes to the local district councils. (Note.—There are no Urban Districts in Co. Roscommon, and no overlapping with adjoining counties, except that Counties Roscommon and Galway continue to be jointly interested in Ballinasloe Mental Hospital, as heretofore.) 5. The former workhouse at Roscommon to be converted into a County Home and Hospital for the county, with a branch hospital at Boyle, in the former union infirmary for sick patients from the whole of Boyle No. 1 Rural District (including Carrick No. 2 amalgamated therewith), and from the northern portion of Castlerea Rural District, as contained in the dispensary districts of Ballaghaderreen, Frenchpark, and Loughlynn.
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6.The County Home Committee to consist of thirty members—half appointed by the County Council, and the other half by the District Councils—apportioned as follows, having regard to acreage, population, and valuation of each district:— District Council.
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No. of Members Athlone No. 2 (now including Ballinasloe No. 2) 2 Boyle No. 1 (now including Carrick No. 2) 3 Roscommon (now including Strokestown) 5 Castlerea 5 Total 15 7. A person ceasing to be a member of the Council by which appointed shall cease to be a member of the County Home Committee.
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8.Boyle Branch Hospital Committee to be comprised of the members of the County Home Committee chosen for, or resident in, the northern portion of the county to be served by that Branch Hospital, and thus preserve unity of control.
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9.Members of the County Home Committee, and of the Boyle Branch Hospital Committee, to hold office until replaced by new appointments after each triennial election of county and district councillors.
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10.Boyle Branch Hospital Committee to furnish the County Home Committee with monthly bills or accounts of all expenditure incurred by them, duly certified, together with a list thereof signed by the presiding chairman, and two other members present at the meeting at which passed for payment. All sums received by or on behalf of Boyle Branch Hospital Committee to be lodged forthwith to the credit of the account of the County Home Committee.
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11.Subject to the general control of the County Home Committee in respect of all monies provided out of the rates, the acts of the Branch Hospital Committee shall not require confirmation by the County Home Committee.
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12.All expenses of the County Home, and of the Branch Hospital at Boyle, to be county charges, the scheme being for the benefit of the county-at-large, a capitation basis being objectionable in that it tends to press unduly on districts having the great bulk of poor people.
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13.The County Council and each District Council to be furnished by the Secretary of the County Home Committee with an account of the receipts and expenditure of the Committee after each half-yearly audit of the accounts.
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14.The County Home Committee to be charged with the duty of managing the County Home with due regard not only to efficiency, but also to economy, and of introducing improvements in the management of the Home, as will lead to still further economies. The inmates not in hospital to be employed and kept at work according to their capacity and ability, and thus avoid the expense of paid help as far as possible.
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15.Poor persons eligible and suitable cases for outdoor relief not to be sent or kept in the County Home.
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16.The County Home Committee to fill vacancies arising in the staff of the County Home from among the officers of the closed-up workhouses whose offices will be abolished under this scheme, and thus avoid payment of pensions or gratuities to officials able and willing to continue in similar employment at the County Home.
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17.Roscommon County Home Committee to pay on a capitation basis for non-chronic patients from the extreme southern parts of Co. Roscommon admitted to the Athlone District Hospital in the adjoining County of Westmeath.
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18.Sligo County Home Committee to pay likewise in the case of the same class of patients admitted to the Branch Hospital at Boyle, Co. Roscommon, from the southern part of Co. Sligo convenient to Boyle.
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19.That the several disused workhouses be disposed of for National use as factories, mills, or other industrial purposes as will create employment for the local workers.
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20.The County Home Committee to appoint their own Treasurer, and to be supplied with funds direct by the County Council.
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21.The rights of the local sanitary authorities to send dispensary and other cases for special treatment to Dublin or other extern hospitals, remain unaffected.
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22.Any matter or thing arising under this scheme, and not provided for, to be settled by the County Home Committee, subject to the approval of the County Council, and of the sanction of the Ministry of Local Government.
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SLIGO COUNTY SCHEME.
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1.On a date to be fixed by the Committee of Management, hereinafter mentioned, all the inmates in Dromore West and Tobercurry Workhouses, and Hospitals attached, and those in Boyle Workhouse and Hospital attached, coming from that portion of the Boyle Union situate in County Sligo, shall be transferred to Sligo Workhouse, which shall be made a central institution for the entire county, and shall be called the County Sligo Home.
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2.The management of the present Sligo Workhouse shall pass out of the hands of the Sligo Board of Guardians, and be transferred to a Committee of Management to consist of 8 members to be appointed by the Sligo County Council, one by Sligo Urban District Council, two by each Rural District Council in the county, one of whom shall be Chairman of that body. The Committee shall co-opt three other members who shall be women. The quorum for meetings of such Committee of Management shall be five. Regulations made by the above-mentioned Committee in regard to the management of the County Home are to be subject to the sanction of the County Council and the Local Government Department of Dáil Eireann. The term of office of the Committee of Management shall be the same as that of the present County Council, and shall continue to function up to the date of the first annual meeting of the new County Council. The first Committee shall hold office for the same period as the present County Council, and succeeding Committees shall be appointed for triennial periods.
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3.A special meeting of each body having representation on the Committee of Management shall be convened to meet on a date to be named, for the purpose of appointing representatives to the Committee of Management. These special meetings shall be held as soon as possible after the scheme of Amalgamation shall have been adopted by the County Council and sanctioned by the Local Government Department of Dáil Eireann.
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4.The present Boards of Guardians shall cease to function as from date of the sanction of the Scheme by the Local Government Department of An Dáil, and all matters in connection with outdoor relief, medical charities, etc., shall be administered by sub-committees consisting of 5 members for each Union to be appointed by the Rural District Council, two of whom shall be members of the Committee of Management.
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5.Each Union shall contribute towards the expenses of the County Home on a capitation basis.
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6.The Committee of Management shall submit their annual Estimate and Demand to the County Council for its requirements for the ensuing year. A special meeting of the Committee shall be summoned on or before the 15th January in each financial year at which the Clerk shall submit his Estimate of the liabilities and requirements of the Committee to be provided for by the County Council during the ensuing financial year, and the Committee shall by resolution, to be recorded on the minutes of the meeting, adopt the same with or without amendments, and shall thereupon make an Estimate and Demand under their Seal, for the amount required, and shall transmit same with dispatch to the County Council, and a certified copy to the Local Government Department. Should the Committee fail to make such Estimate and Demand within the specified time, the Clerk to the Committee shall be empowered to furnish a copy of his Estimate to the Secretary of the County Council and to the Local Government Department. For the present financial year the County Council shall on demand from the Committee advance such sums as shall be deemed necessary to finance the new home.
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7.The Committee of Management shall appoint their own Treasurer, which shall be a Banking Company.
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8.A Stocktaker shall be appointed as soon as possible to value the articles taken from the various Unions to furnish the County Sligo Home. Each Union shall be credited with the value of such stock taken. The fee of such Stocktaker shall be paid by the Committee of Management.
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9.The accounts of the Committee of Management shall be audited half-yearly by an Auditor of the Local Government Department of An Dáil, and the existing enactments and regulations as to audit shall be adapted accordingly.
\n
10.The Committee shall adopt such Standing Orders and Regulations as shall be deemed necessary by the Local Government Department of An Dáil.
\n
11.The appointment of officials for the County Home shall be made by the Committee of Management, subject to the approval of the Local Government Department of Dáil Eireann, preference to be given where possible to those whose office shall be abolished under the Scheme, provided that in the case of the appointment of an official who is entitled to or is receiving a superannuation allowance or gratuity under the Scheme, such official must, as a condition of appointment, waive all claim to superannuation, or if a gratuity has been given, must refund to the County Council the amount of such gratuity. All appointments shall be temporary for a period of six months, and the salary attaching to such office shall be subject to revision with the approval of the Local Government Department at the end of the period. The appointment shall then be made permanent, conditional on satisfactory service having been given. Intimation of appointment shall be made through public advertisement, and canvassing shall be regarded as a disqualification.
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12.On a date to be fixed by the Local Government Department, the Guardians in each Union shall call a special meeting to terminate the appointments of all officials, and of all other employees, whose offices and employment cease simultaneously with the coming into operation of the Amalgamation Scheme. Where the Clerk of the Union is also Clerk of the Rural District Council his office as Clerk of the Union shall be abolished, and he shall be superannuated. The following offices and employments are, under this section, terminated:—Clerk of the Union, Master, Matron, Chaplain, Nurses, Porter, Attendants, both male and female, Wardsmaids, and all others who are not specifically mentioned under the above heads.
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13.All officers whose offices are abolished, and who are entitled to superannuation shall be superannuated, subject to the condition that in the event of any superannuated officer obtaining a position under the County Council or the Committee of Management or any other public body under the jurisdiction of the County Council, he shall forfeit the amount of his superannuation, provided the salary of his or her new position is equal to or greater than that amount, as follows:—Each officer whose service is over ten years shall be granted superannuation at the rate of one-sixtieth of his or her present salary and emoluments for each year's service. The length of service shall be taken as the actual number of years served, with the addition of 50 per cent. of such actual service, provided that in no case shall the superannuation exceed two-thirds of the present salary and emoluments of such officer. This addition of 50 per cent. of the number of years' service is granted as compensation for the abolition of office, and the officials whose offices are abolished shall have no further claim beyond what is provided for in this section. The amount of an officer's emoluments shall be calculated on the basis of the average of such emoluments for the three completed years prior to his retirement.
\n
14.Where an officer is entitled to a gratuity, and whose office is abolished under the scheme, the amount of the gratuity reckoned on the salary and emoluments of such officer on the date of abolition of his office shall be as follows:—If his service has not exceeded two half-years, one year's salary and emoluments. If his service has exceeded two half years, one year's salary and emoluments plus one quarter of same for each half-year which he has served above the two first half-years, but not exceeding in any case five years' net emoluments. The amount of an officer's emoluments shall be calculated on the average of three completed half-years immediately preceding his retirement. Payment of gratuities may be made quarterly or half-yearly should the finances not permit of the payment of a bulk sum. Objections to the amount of either superannuation or gratuity may be referred to the Local Government Department, whose decision shall be final.
\n
15.The funds required to carry out the preceding section shall be obtained by way of loan by the County Council, and the repayment of the instalments and interest thereon shall be a charge upon the appropriate rural districts.
\n
16.Dispensary Doctors and District Maternity Nurses shall continue to discharge their duties as heretofore in their respective Dispensary Districts.
\n
17.The management of the County Fever Hospital shall be transferred to the Committee of Management of the County Sligo Home.
\n
18.The Committee of Management shall, as soon as the Scheme has received the sanction of the County Council and the Local Government Department of Dáil Eireann, make, with as little delay as possible, the necessary arrangements for transferring the inmates in Dromore, Tobercurry and Boyle Workhouses and Hospitals attached to the County Home.
\n
19.The Committee of Management shall be charged with the duty of boarding out all or as many as possible of the institution children. The sub-committee shall assist the Committee of Management in the matter of procuring suitable foster-parents in the districts under their control, and shall report regularly on the condition of the children who shall have been already boarded-out. The Committee of Management shall see that children are boarded-out as soon as possible—no child over the age of three years to be retained in the central institution. Should it be found impracticable to board out certain children the Committee at their discretion may have them transferred to an industrial school or similar institution.
\n
TIRCONAILL COUNTY SCHEME.
\n
GENERAL OUTLINE.
\n
Workhouses.
\n
1.All existing Workhouses in the county shall be closed.
\n
Re Existing Workhouse Inmates.
\n
2.Inmates of existing Workhouses in Tirconaill chargeable on Unions outside Tirconaill to be transferred to their respective counties.
\n
3.Inmates in Workhouses outside Tirconaill and chargeable on Unions in Tirconaill to be either boarded out or transferred to a Central Home.
\n
4.Only persons to whom system of boarding out cannot be applied to receive institutional treatment.
\n
Infirmaries.
\n
5.The infirmaries attached to following Workhouses shall be closed—viz., Dunfanaghy, Milford, Stranorlar and Letterkenny.
\n
Fever Hospitals.
\n
6.All Fever Hospitals in the county, save the following, shall be closed—viz., Donegal, Glenties and Carndonagh. Isolation Wards to be set apart in the District Infirmary at Letterkenny for infectious cases.
\n
District Hospitals.
\n
7.District Hospitals shall be established in the Infirmaries attached to the following Workhouses—viz., Donegal, Glenties and Carndonagh. The Fever Hospital at Letterkenny to be converted into a District Hospital.
\n
Note.—It is suggested that an arrangement be come to with the Trustees of the Sbiels' Hospital for the reception and treatment of patients, in which event the Donegal District and Fever Hospitals be not established.
\n
Central Home.
\n
8.A Central Home shall be established at Stranorlar for aged, infirm and chronic invalids, and maternity cases, as defined in para. 29. The existing workhouse buildings to be remodelled and renovated for that purpose. All inmates of existing Workhouses in the County chargeable on any Union who cannot be boarded out to be transferred to Central Home.
\n
Lifford County Infirmary.
\n
9.The existing County Infirmary at Lifford shall be known as “Tirconaill County Hospital,” and shall be open for the reception of medical and surgical cases from the entire County. Private and public wards to be established therein.
\n
Unions.
\n
10.The Union as an administrative area to be abolished. All Boards of Guardians to cease functioning as soon as this Scheme shall come into operation.
\n
11.All Union officials to be pensioned off or compensated in respect of duties of which they will be relieved as a result of the operation of this Scheme.
\n
12.Such compensation or superannuation to be allowed or fixed on the basis of scales hitherto in force, and same to be a “County at Large” charge, excluding Strabane No. 2 Rural District, where compensation has already been paid and made chargeable on Strabane No. 2 District.
\n
13.For the term “Outdoor Relief,” and for the term “Relieving Officer,” there shall be substituted, respectively, the terms “National Benefit” and “National Benefit Officer.”
\n
14.For the term “Inmate,” “Resident” shall be substituted.
\n
15.For the term “Dispensary Midwife,” “District Nurse” shall be substituted.
\n
CENTRAL HOME.
\n
Management.
\n
16.A Committee of Management to be appointed by the County Council, composed as follows, shall administer the affairs of the Central Home—viz., 18 representatives of the County Council; 1 member or representative from each District and Urban Council, with 5 co-opted members (3 clergymen, 1 medical officer, and 1 lady). Of above Committee five to form a quorum. This Committee, when elected, to enter immediately on the work of preparing the Central Home for the reception of inmates, etc.
\n
17.The Committee, constituted as aforesaid, shall meet at least once in each month. The day of meeting to be fixed by Committee.
\n
18.Any Rules or Bye-Laws adopted by the Committees for the more efficient management of the Home shall include a scale regulating the issue of fuel for all fires, whether in officers' and attendants' apartments, or in patients' and residents' apartments.
\n
19.The Central Home Committee shall have power to provide for conveyance of intending residents to the Central Home, and shall also have power to provide conveyance for any resident who wishes to leave the Home.
\n
20.The Committee shall provide for the following Staff for the Home:—A Visiting Medical Officer, a Matron, who must be a trained nurse. Trained Nurses, one of whom must have maternity qualifications (in the event of the services of any existing nurse being retained the term “qualified” shall suffice); Registrar, Chaplains, and Attendants, including a first class Cook; a Porter, who shall act as Ambulance Driver, and, if deemed necessary, a Storekeeper.
\n
21.The Committee of the Central Home are to be responsible for the undischarged liabilities of the existing Boards of Guardians in respect of such services as are transferred to them under this Scheme. All questions in connection with the segregation of accounts and appointment of liabilities to be decided by the Local Government Department Auditor, subject to appeal to the Local Government Department.
\n
22.Casual vacancies on the Central Home Committee to be filled by nominees of the County Council selected from members of the body or class from which the person whose seat is vacant was originally chosen.
\n
23.The Committee shall make an Annual Estimate and Demand upon the County Council for its requirements, and shall furnish all the necessary details, and shall at the same time transmit with their observations, if any, the Annual Estimates and Demands of County, District and Fever Hospitals, and National Benefit Committees to the County Council not later than 15th January in each year.
\n
24.No persons applying for admission to the Central Home can be admitted unless they were resident in the County for the twelve months preceding date of application. Temporary accommodation may be given applicants not so qualified, at the discretion of the Committee, pending their transference to a Home outside the County.
\n
Admission to Central Home.
\n
25.Persons seeking admission to Central Home shall do so by filling in the prescribed form, obtainable from members of the Central Home Committee, National Benefit Committee, and County Councillors, and the National Benefit Officer. This form, when completed, should be sent to the National Benefit Officer, who shall forward his report thereon immediately to the National Benefit Committee, who may then authorise the admission of applicant to the Central Home, subject to the approval of the Committee of the Central Home.
\n
26.Chronic cases, as far as possible, to be treated in Central Home and not transferred to the District Hospitals, save where the Medical Officer of the Central Home shall certify such transfer necessary.
\n
27.All residents of the Central Home shall be supplied with clothing of various patterns made up in ordinary styles. The use of corduroy to be abolished. All present stocks of corduroy and all made-up uniforms as at present in use to be disposed of Stocks of tweeds as formerly used in men's uniforms to be used for purposes other than clothing.
\n
28.All residents of the Central Home to be classified according to sex, age, and physical condition.
\n
29.In the Central Home a Maternity Ward for unmarried mothers shall be provided and isolated from other sections, and occupants not permitted to associate with other residents. Rules governing the admission, detention, and discharge of mothers and children to be at the discretion of the Central Home Committee, pending the framing of further regulations.
\n
30.All residents of the Central Home who are in receipt of Old Age Pension or of Sickness Benefit, and without dependants, shall be required to contribute a proportion of same towards their maintenance in said Home. It shall be the duty of the Committee of said Home to fix such proportion.
\n
31.Residents in the Central Home who find after admission they can procure a home outside, shall be given facilities by the Home Committee to apply for National Benefit.
\n
32.The Central Home Committee shall in all cases take steps to recover from the putative fathers the cost of maintenance and attendance of illegitimate children and their mothers, and shall have discretionary powers regarding the custody, maintenance, and discharge of illegitimate children.
\n
33.The Central Home Committee shall have power to send children of parents whose means would not, in the opinion of the Committee, permit them to do so, whether residing in Central Home or elsewhere, to institutions for special treatment, and to pay costs of maintenance whilst there.
\n
34.The County Council shall select a competent Stocktaker to advise the Council as to any materials, articles, utensils or equipment suitable to be acquired from existing Workhouses for use in the Central Home or in the District Hospitals. Such stock, when selected, to be valued and the value so ascertained to be credited to the proper Union.
\n
35.At the last ordinary meeting of the administrative year the Clerk of the Committee shall submit a report showing the number of meetings attended by each member of the Committee during the previous twelve months. Any member of the Committee, who has failed to attend at least one-half of the meetings shall be disqualified, and shall not be eligible for re-election, save where it is shown to the satisfaction of the Committee that such absence was unavoidable through illness or other sufficient cause. Vacancies so arising to be filled at the annual meeting following the last ordinary meeting in the administrative year.
\n
Section 36
\n
36.The annual meeting of this Committee shall be held on the same date as the first ordinary meeting in each administrative year.
\n
Section 37
\n
37.Special accommodation shall be provided in the Central Home for such imbeciles and epileptics as cannot be provided for in the Mental Hospital.
\n
General.
\n
Section 38
\n
38.Where, in the opinion of the Central Home Committee it is advisable to do so, inmates of existing Workhouses, or persons who are eligible for admission to the Central Home, may be boarded out in suitable and approved Homes or Institutions, in which cases the Central Home shall contribute an amount not exceeding the cost of maintenance at the Central Home; means (if any) to be taken into consideration.
\n
COUNTY HOSPITAL.
\n
Management.
\n
Section 39
\n
39.A Committee of Management composed as follows shall administer the affairs of Tirconaill County Hospital. (Note.—As the ownership of Lifford Hospital appears to be vested in Trustees, the Committee decided to await fuller particulars re same before making any suggestion as to the constitution of the Management Committee.)
\n
Section 40
\n
40.No person shall be eligible for admission to County Hospital unless resident in the County for at least three months preceding date of application for admission. Admission to be on a signed authority from a Medical Doctor or a member of County Hospital Committee, save in accident and emergency cases, when the Visiting Surgeon, Visiting Doctor, or Matron will have discretionary power.
\n
Section 41
\n
41.The Staff of the County Hospital to consist of the following:—Visiting Surgeon, Visiting Doctor, Matron, who must be a trained nurse with maternity qualification; Chaplains; requisite number of Trained Nurses (in the event of the services of any existing nurse being retained, the term “qualified” shall suffice), and Attendants; a Clerk to act as Registrar, whose duties will be defined by the Management Committee; a Porter, who shall act as Ambulance Driver, and other Attendants deemed necessary, and a first class Cook.
\n
Section 42
\n
42.A Motor Ambulance, internally heated, to be provided for the sole use of the County Hospital. When conveying a patient a nurse to accompany ambulance.
\n
Section 43
\n
43.The Management Committee of County Hospital to meet at least once each month; the day of meeting to be fixed by Committee.
\n
Section 44
\n
44.The Committee of the County Hospitals to arrange for the classification of all patients as soon as practicable after admission, into “paying,” “part paying,” and “non-paying” patients. It is suggested that patients in receipt of Old Age Pensions or Sickness Benefit, without dependants, be asked to contribute a proportion of their means towards their maintenance.
\n
Section 45
\n
45.Any Rules or Bye-Laws adopted by the Committee of the County Hospital aiming at more efficient management shall include a scale regulating the issue of fuel for all fires, whether in officers' and attendants' apartments or in apartments used by patients and residents.
\n
Section 46
\n
46.At the last ordinary meeting of the administrative year the Clerk of the Committee shall submit a report showing the number of meetings attended by each member of the Committee during the previous twelve months. Any member of the Committee who has failed to attend at least one-half of the meetings shall be disqualified, and shall not be eligible for re-election, save where it is shown to the satisfaction of the Committee that such absence was unavoidable through illness or other sufficient cause. Vacancies so arising to be filled at the annual meeting following the last ordinary meeting in the administrative year.
\n
Section 47
\n
47.Patients may, at their own expense, avail themselves for purposes of consultation with such outside medical assistance as they desire.
\n
DISTRICT AND FEVER HOSPITALS.
\n
Section 48
\n
48.In each District Hospital provision shall be made for the following Staff, which Staff will also take charge of the Fever Hospital:—Visiting Medical Officer; a Matron, who shall be a trained nurse with fever and maternity qualifications; Trained Nurses with fever training, one of whom shall have maternity qualifications (in the event of the services of any existing Nurse being retained the term “qualified” shall suffice); a Clerk; a first class Cook; Attendants, and an Ambulance Driver.
\n
Section 49
\n
49.Public and private wards shall be provided in all District Hospitals. All such alterations to be proceeded with as soon as practicable. Plans and specifications to be submitted to a Committee representative of the County Council and the medical profession in the County.
\n
Management.
\n
Section 50
\n
50.The County Council shall appoint Committees for the management of the District and Fever Hospitals, said Committees to be composed of the following representatives, viz.:—Eight members of the District Councils for the areas which the District and Fever Hospitals are intended to serve, two members of the County Council, three clergymen, three ladies, two other members, one of whom shall, if possible, be a member of the medical profession.
\n
Section 51
\n
51.Where for the purposes of this Scheme an Urban District falls to be included in a Rural District the Committee shall be composed of eight members of the Rural District Councils, four members of the Urban District Council, etc.
\n
Tuberculosis.
\n
Section 52
\n
52.Consumptive Wards for males and for females shall be provided in each District Hospital
\n
Section 53
\n
53.Admission to the District Hospitals shall be on the recommendation of a County Councillor, a member of the Committee, or a Medical Officer. The Matron to have discretionary powers in cases of emergency.
\n
Section 54
\n
54.The Committees of District Hospitals are to decide, subject to the approval of the Committee of Management, what persons shall be non-paying patients, and what persons shall contribute in whole or in part towards their maintenance and attendance whilst in said Hospitals. Patients in receipt of Old Age Pensions or Sick Benefit and without dependants shall contribute a proportion of their means towards their maintenance while in such Hospitals. The Committee shall fix such proportion.
\n
Section 55
\n
55.Patients may, at their own expense, avail themselves, for the purposes of consultation, of such outside medical assistance as they desire.
\n
Section 56
\n
56.To facilitate scrutiny and effect economy in books, forms, etc., uniform diet scales for officers, patients, and attendants in County, District, and Fever Hospitals shall be adopted.
\n
Section 57
\n
57.Casual vacancies on the Committees of District Hospitals to be filled by persons nominated by the County Council from members of the body or class from which the person whose seat is vacant was originally chosen.
\n
Section 58
\n
58.The Committees of the District and Fever Hospitals shall submit Annual Estimates and Demands upon the County Council of their requirements, and shall furnish all necessary details to the Central Home Committee seven clear days before the December meeting of the latter Committee.
\n
Section 59
\n
59.Any Rules or Bye-Laws adopted by said Committees for the more efficient management of said Hospitals shall include a scale regulating the issue of fuel for all fires, whether in Officers' and Attendants' apartments or apartments used by patients.
\n
Section 60
\n
60.Motor Ambulances, internally heated, to be provided for the use of each District Hospital, and when conveying a patient a nurse to accompany the Ambulance.
\n
Section 61
\n
61.Meeting of Committee of Management to be held monthly; the day of meeting to be fixed by each Committee.
\n
Section 62
\n
62.At the last ordinary meeting of the administrative year the Clerk of the Committee shall submit a report showing the number of meetings attended by each member of the Committee during the previous twelve months. Any member of the Committee who has failed to attend at least one-half of the meetings for twelve months shall be disqualified, and shall not be eligible for re-election, save where it is shown to the satisfaction of the Committee that such absence was unavoidable through illness or other sufficient cause. Vacancies so arising to be filled at the annual meeting following the last ordinary meeting in the administrative year.
\n
Section 63
\n
63.The annual meeting of this Committee shall be held on the same date as the first ordinary meeting in each administrative year.
\n
NATIONAL BENEFIT.
\n
Section 64
\n
64.The administration of National Benefit and Medical Charities is transferred to the National Benefit Committee. This Committee shall be composed of two local County Councillors and five members of the District Council, and where an Urban District falls within the area three members of the Urban District Council shall in addition be included, and the members of the Committee of Management who reside in the District.
\n
Section 65
\n
65.The Committee of the Central Home shall fix a uniform scale of National Benefit for the County, and shall formulate Rules governing the administration of same. Pending the formulation of such Rules, National Benefit Committee to have discretionary power. Applicants aggrieved to have a right of appeal to the Local Government Department.
\n
Section 66
\n
66.The Committee of the Central Home shall draw up a uniform application form for National Benefit to be used in the County. No application for said Benefit to be entertained save where made on prescribed form duly vouched by National Benefit Officer or member of National Benefit Committee for the area in which applicant resides.
\n
Section 67
\n
67.Where it is established that National Benefit has been granted to persons not qualified to receive same, the person on whose authority same was granted shall be liable to surcharge to the extent of the Benefit so irregularly paid.
\n
Section 68
\n
68.No person shall be qualified to receive National Benefit unless resident in the County for at least twelve months preceding date of application for same.
\n
Section 69
\n
69.Where, in the opinion of the County Council, the cost of distribution of Outdoor Relief is excessive, having regard to the amount of National Benefit actually distributed, the National Benefit Committee shall dispense with the office of National Benefit Officer, and arrange to pay National Benefit by Paying Orders. Where such office has been abolished application for National Benefit to be made as prescribed to a member of the National Benefit Committee for the area in which applicant resides.
\n
Urgent Cases.
\n
Section 70
\n
70.In urgent cases the National Benefit Officer shall be at liberty to give temporary Benefit in money or in kind at his discretion, pending the approval of the National Benefit Committee. In a district where there is no National Benefit Officer, temporary Benefit to be paid by the Clerk of the National Benefit Committee on the recommendation of a member of the National Benefit Committee for the area in which the applicant resides.
\n
Section 71
\n
71.The National Benefit Officer, or where there is no such Officer, the Clerk or member of the National Benefit Committee, may arrange for the supply of funeral requisites and make any necessary payments in connection with undertaking arrangements, removal and burial of corpse.
\n
Section 72
\n
72.Persons of known vicious habits shall not be entitled to National Benefit.
\n
Section 73
\n
73.When boarding out children the Central Home Committee shall give preference to foster parents residing in country districts, and care must be exercised that children will only be boarded out with respectable persons, and where it can be so arranged illegitimate children shall be boarded out in areas outside the district in which they were born or in which the parent or parents reside.
\n
Section 74
\n
74.The Committee of the Central Home shall fix a uniform scale of remuneration of foster parents, which remuneration shall be paid monthly by Paying Order by the Central Home Committee. The Committee shall also fix a uniform scale for provision of clothing for boarded-out children, and the Central Home Committee shall issue orders half-yearly to local merchants to supply the necessary clothing in accordance with the scale.
\n
Arrangements should be made by each National Benefit Committee to have a Ladies' Committee appointed for the supervision of boarded-out children and the judicious purchase of clothing.
\n
Section 75
\n
75.Foster parents shall allow boarded-out children to be visited by a Lady Inspector under the Local Government Department, or by a member or members of the Ladies' Committee.
\n
GENERAL RECOMMENDATIONS.
\n
Section 76
\n
76.Scale of salaries rising from initial figure to maximum by stated annual increments on satisfactory service to be arranged for all Officers under this Scheme.
\n
Section 77
\n
77.Existing Orders, Regulations, etc., governing the conduct of business and the management of all Institutions referred to herein shall be adopted temporarily, save in so far as they may be modified by this Scheme.
\n
Section 78
\n
78.Pending the institution of a National Civil Service, canvassing either directly or indirectly shall disqualify applicants for appointments.
\n
In all appointments, except those of Medical Officers, Trained Nurses, and Solicitor, candidates whose duties will include work of a clerical nature must pass a qualifying examination. The qualifying examination to be held by examiners appointed by Local Government Department Dáil Eireann. A knowledge of Irish to be essential.
\n
Section 79
\n
79.The various Councils and Committees shall decide what Officers shall be required to give security for the due performance of their duties, and shall fix the amount of security.
\n
Section 80
\n
80.All Tender Forms shall state that all supplies tendered for shall be, as far as procurable, at reasonable prices of Irish Manufacture, and the manufacturer's name given.
\n
Section 81
\n
81.Nurses in District and Fever Hospitals, other than Matron, to be liable to be temporarily transferred to Hospitals other than those in which they are ordinarily employed. This to be a condition of their employment.
\n
Section 82
\n
82.All expenditure under this Scheme shall be a County-at-large Charge, except National Benefit, which shall be a District Charge.
\n
Section 83
\n
83.For the purposes of National Benefit the Urban Districts of Bundoran, Letterkenny and Buncrana shall be considered as parts of the Rural Districts of Ballyshannon, Letterkenny, and Inishowen respectively.
\n
Section 84
\n
84.Where a Union formerly comprised portions of two or more Counties, all accounts are to be adjusted by an Auditor of the Local Government Department. In this respect claims should be made in respect of the proportion of the capital value of all buildings the expenditure in connection with which was a Union Charge.
\n
Section 85
\n
85.Facilities should be afforded existing Sanitary Officers to enable them to undergo a course of instruction in sanitation and hygiene. In future appointments to this position candidates should be required to pass a qualifying examination in these subjects.
\n
Section 86
\n
86.Boundaries of existing Dispensary Districts may be rearranged and adjustments made between adjoining Dispensary Districts where necessary. In such cases maps showing Dispensary Districts should be prepared. In case Dispensary District comprises an area outside Tirconaill, the proportion payable by the authority responsible for the Tirconaill section of such Dispensary District is to be calculated on an “area and population” basis. All matters in dispute to be referred to the Local Government Department, whose decision shall be final.
\n
Section 87
\n
87.As vacancies occur the existing District Maternity Nurses shall be replaced by Trained Nurses with Maternity and Tuberculosis qualifications, who shall afford nursing aid to persons entitled to same, and instructions in hygiene and invalid cookery. In areas remote from a District Hospital the National Benefit Committee may, if they consider it advisable, appoint a Trained Nurse with Maternity and Tuberculosis training, in addition to the existing Dispensary Nurse, or in lieu thereof make a contribution towards the maintenance of any Trained Nurse in the District who is maintained from voluntary contributions or otherwise. The boundaries of the areas served by the existing Nurses may be re-arranged, and where necessary the number of areas and Nurses increased or decreased.
\n
Section 88
\n
88.When an Institution has been closed down the Master of the Workhouse to be made personally responsible for all stock and property during the period of evacuation.
\n
Section 89
\n
89.Existing qualified Nurses whose services shall be retained, to be afforded facilities for taking out a course of Fever, Maternity, or Tuberculosis Training.
\n
Section 90
\n
90.A simplified and uniform system of account-keeping shall be adopted and used by the Committee of the Central Home, and by the Committees of the County and District Fever Hospitals.
\n
Section 91
\n
91.All proposed capital expenditure and outlay on permanent improvements by bodies affected by this Scheme to be subject to the approval of the County Council and Dail Eireann.
\n
Section 92
\n
92.This Scheme to be known as the “Tirconaill Abolition of Workhouses and Re-organization of Hospitals” Scheme,, and to come into operation on or before 1st April, 1922.
\n
WATERFORD COUNTY SCHEME.
\n
That this Scheme of Workhouse Amalgamation for the County of Water-ford embraces the City of Waterford, which lies within the County.
\n
Appointed Date.
\n
That all Workhouses, as such, within the County be abolished as from a date to be fixed by the County Board of Health (see constitution of Board lower down).
\n
Appointments Terminate.
\n
That all Workhouse Official Appointments, as such, terminate on that date, a scale of Superannuation having been previously fixed by the respective Boards of Guardians (for basis of Superannuation see “Superannuations” lower down).
\n
Officials Eligible for Employment in New Scheme.
\n
That officials of the existing Poor Law System be eligible for employment under the new Scheme, and those so employed will be credited with the years of service already rendered if and when the question of their Superannuation is dealt with later on.
\n
Union Administrative Area Abolished.
\n
That the Union as an Administrative Area be abolished as from the date to be fixed by the County Board of Health, and that existing Boards of Guardians cease to administer the Poor Law from that date.
\n
County Home.
\n
That a County Home be established at Dungarvan for the accommodation of (a) chronic cases; (b) aged and infirm; (c) unmarried mothers; (d) expectant unmarried mothers; (e) children who cannot be boarded out; (f) healthy harmless idiots; and (g) healthy epileptics.
\n
Cottage Hospital.
\n
That a Cottage Hospital be attached to the County Home at Dungarvan, having separate provision made for fever patients, for Dungarvan Rural and Urban, Lismore and Youghal No. 2 Districts.
\n
County Hospital.
\n
That a County Hospital be established at Waterford, and that the front block or other suitable accommodation in the Waterford Union buildings be utilised for that purpose for Clonmel No. 2, Carrick No. 2, Kilmacthomas and Waterford No. 1 Rural District Councils, and Waterford Borough.
\n
Waterford Fever Hospital.
\n
That the Fever Hospital in Waterford be retained as a Fever Hospital, and that a portion of the Dungarvan institution can be used as a Fever Hospital, if necessary.
\n
Boarding Out of Inmates.
\n
That as soon as the Amalgamation Scheme is approved by Dáil Eireann the existing Board of Guardians take immediate steps to board out all inmates who can be suitably provided for in that way, and, where possible, with their own people. Industrial and other institutions might be availed of on reasonable terms where homes could not be procured otherwise.
\n
Basis of Superannuation.
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That Boards of Guardians address themselves without delay to the drawing up of a Scale of Superannuation for all Poor Law Officials entitled to same in their employ, such Scale to be submitted to Dáil Eireann for approval, and in other respects the Guardians, until they cease to function, are to expedite this Scheme as far as is practicable. That the basis for calculating Superannuation Allowance shall be that laid down in Section 8 of the Local Government Act, 1919, as interpreted and amplified by Dáil Eireann in Circulars Nos. 52, 53, and 55 issued to Public Bodies.
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Discharge Able-Bodied.
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That on the appointed day all able-bodied inmates be discharged from the Workhouses by the existing Boards of Guardians.
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Transfer of Inmates.
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That other inmates who cannot be boarded out be transferred to their own counties, the County Home, and the County Hospital, at the expense of the Guardians.
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Appointment of County Board of Health.
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That a County Board of Health be appointed to manage and administer the affairs of the County Home and the County Hospital and make the necessary staff appointments and other, as may be required.
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How Constituted.
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That the Membership of the County Board of Health be made up as follows:— 15 Members appointed by the County Council, 2 at least to be ladies.
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7 Members appointed by the Waterford Corporation, 2 at least to be ladies.
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Dungarvan Rural District Council—2.
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Lismore Rural District Council—2.
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Waterford Rural District Council—2.
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Dungarvan Urban Council—1.
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Carrick-on-Suir No. 2 Rural District—1.
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Clonmel No. 2 Rural District—1.
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Kilmacthomas Rural District—1.
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Youghal No. 2 Rural District—1.
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33 Members in all.
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That those persons appointed as Members of the County Board of Health by the County Council and the Waterford Corporation be public representatives having a definite responsibility to the ratepayers.
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Term of Office.
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That the Members of the County Board of Health hold office for the same term as the respective bodies appointing them.
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Quorum.
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That the County Board of Health comprise in all 33 members, exclusive of co-opted members, and that 7 members form a quorum.
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Co-options.
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That the County Board of Health have power to co-opt not more than 3 additional members.
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Vacancies on County Board of Health.
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That any vacancy occurring on the County Board of Health be filled by the Appointing Public Body concerned, in the same manner as the first appointment.
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Alternate Meetings.
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That the County Board of Health hold their Meetings alternately in Waterford and Dungarvan.
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First Meeting.
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That the First Meeting of the County Board of Health be held at Dungarvan as soon after the ratification of the Scheme as may be found convenient.
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Fixing Appointed Day.
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That the fixing of the day for closing of the County Workhouses, as such, be considered, and, if possible, decided at such meeting.
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Quarterly Reports.
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That the County Board of Health furnish Quarterly Reports to the Waterford County Council and Corporation in a form to be prescribed by the Board.
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The Infirmary.
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That the County Board of Health, at any time they may deem it expedient to do so, approach the Board of the County and City Infirmary, Waterford with a view to coming to a mutually helpful working arrangement.
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That any such arrangement shall not be carried into effect until sanctioned by Dáil Eireann.
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Abolish Outdoor Relief.
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That all Out-door Relief as such cease as from the appointed day, but “Home Help” of a like amount or nature may, after a full investigation of each case, be given after that date to those in need.
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Distribution of Home Help.
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That under the new system (under which there will be no Relieving Officers) applications for “Home Help” be made on special forms, the bona fides of the applicant to be vouched for by a District Councillor or other Councillor living in the neighbourhood. Those applications, when dealt with by the District or other Council, or by a Special Committee of the District or other Council appointed for that purpose, to be forwarded, with recommendations, to the County Board of Health.
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Paying Orders.
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That payment of “Home Help,” when authorised, be made by means of Paying Orders transmitted by post or otherwise as may be found safest and most convenient.
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Special Committees.
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That the Members elected by the several Public Bodies to act on the County Board of Health be appointed also on the Special Local Committees, which will act in conjunction with the County Board of Health, deal with applications for “Home Help,” and attend to all other matters hitherto dealt with by the Boards of Guardians and not otherwise provided for in this, Scheme.
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Recommendatory Powers Only.
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That these Special Committees shall have only Recommendatory Powers; be under the control of the County Board of Health, and may be dispensed with on getting, through their Clerk, one month's notice from that body.
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Emergency Help Forms.
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That the Clerk of each of the Public Bodies represented on the County Board of Health be supplied with “Emergency Help Forms” for urgent cases, and any member of such Bodies may procure these forms from the Clerk and use them as required in cases of emergency. These forms are also intended for use in cases formerly dealt with by a Relieving Officer where it is necessary to provide for a burial or supply a coffin. As in the case of application for Home Help, all cases of “Emergency Help” to be brought before the next meeting of Special Committee in the area concerned and in the form presented.
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Disposal of Stock in Workhouses.
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That a Stocktaker be appointed as soon as possible to value the articles taken from the various Workhouses to furnish the County Home and County Hospital. That each Union be credited with the value of the articles so taken, and that any stock not required be disposed of by the County Board of Health in such manner as they deem best, the proceeds to be paid pro tem to the credit of the County Council in separate account pending allocation. That the fee of the Stocktaker be paid by the County Board of Health.
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Vesting Saleable Property.
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That the Saleable Interest, if any, of Property of every description at present held by the Boards of Guardians throughout the County be transferred to the County Board of Health for use or disposal as opportunity offers, subject to the sanction of Dáil Eireann. The proceeds to be paid pro tem to the credit of the County Council in separate account pending allocation.
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Uniform Rate for County and City.
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That as from the appointed day all costs, charges, and expenses, other than those specifically charged in this scheme (i.e., expenses of transfer of inmates, etc.) be met by a uniform Flat Rate on the Valuation of the County and City of Waterford, to be made and collected in the same manner as the other rates usually levied within the County and City.
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General Finance.
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That the County Council and Borough Council of Waterford City supply the County Board of Health with the necessary funds for the administration of the County Home and County Hospital on an annual estimate and demand made by the County Board of Health on the County Council and Borough Council based on the respective Valuations of their administrative areas, and the procedure provided by Article 45 of the Union Accounts Order, 1905, be adapted to this purpose.
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Finance for Present Year.
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That for the present financial year the County Council and the Borough Council, on a demand from the County Board of Health, advance from time to time as may be required such sums of money as will be sufficient to meet the requirements of the New Home and New Hospital, and that, if necessary, the County Council and Borough Council obtain from Dail Eireann a loan to enable these advances to be made.
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Audit.
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That the Accounts of the County Board of Health be audited half-yearly by an Auditor appointed by Dáil Eireann, and the existing enactments and regulations as to audit be adapted accordingly.
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Emoluments.
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That remunerative work taken up voluntarily and to which an official would not be entitled by virtue of his principal office under the Poor Law shall not rank as an emolument for pension purposes.
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Gratuities.
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That the payment of Gratuities to officers of under 10 years' service shall, at the discretion of the County Council and Borough Council, be extended over a period of, say, five years, and be payable quarterly.
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Notice of Abolition of Office.
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That when this Scheme is approved by Dáil Eireann and the appointed day fixed, Boards of Guardians shall give the necessary notice of abolition of office (terminating on the appointed day) to each official concerned, and shall pass a resolution granting to such officials as are entitled thereto a superannuation on the basis set out above.
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No Further Liability.
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That officials whose offices are abolished under this Scheme are to have no further claim for loss of office beyond the provision embodied in these resolutions.
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WESTMEATH COUNTY SCHEME.
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1.All the Workhouses in the County to be abolished as such.
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2.The Workhouse at Mullingar to be converted into a County Home for the non-sick inmates of the County. The Hospital attached hereto to be used for the sick and accident cases from the existing Rural District of Mullingar.
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3.The body of Athlone Workhouse to be closed, the Hospital to remain for the sick from the Urban District of Athlone and from the existing Rural Districts of Athlone No. 1 and Ballymore.
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4.Delvin Workhouse to be completely closed.
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5.The County Home at Mullingar to be called “Westmeath County Home,” and to be governed by a Committee of sixteen members, one half of whom shall be appointed by the County Council and the other half by the District Councils of Athlone Rural, Athlone Urban, Delvin and Mullingar, in the proportion of two from each District Council.
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6.Coole Rural District to be amalgamated with Delvin Rural District.
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7.Ballymore Rural District to be amalgamated with Athlone No. 1 Rural District.
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8.The Athlone Hospital to be managed by a Committee, on which are to be represented the County Council and the District Councils, Rural and Urban, for the Districts to be served by that Hospital.
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9.The expenses of the Athlone Hospital Committee to be on a valuation basis as heretofore.
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10.The expenses of the Westmeath County Home Committee to be a County-at-Large charge as regards administration and establishment charges, and to be a District Charge per capita for charges known as Inmaintenance and Clothing, provided that the County Council and the several District Councils may agree to a flat rate on the valuation basis up to a certain poundage rate for all charges.
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11.Each Committee to be supplied with funds by the County Council per their own Estimates and Demands to be prepared after a consultation with the Union Clerks, and the Union Estimates and Demands for the current financial year to be reduced accordingly.
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12.Poor Law Unions and Poor Law Guardians to cease to exist for all purposes.
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13.The business of the Board of Guardians relating to the Institutional relief of the sick and poor of the County to be transferred to the Committee of Management of the County Home and of Athlone Hospital respectively.
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14.The remaining business of the Boards of Guardians, with the exception of home help, to be transferred to the District Councils.
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15.The remaining business of Athlone Board of Guardians arising in County Roscommon to be transferred to Athlone No. 2 District Council.
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16.The remaining business of Athlone and Ballymahon Boards of Guardians arising, in the County Westmeath to be transferred to a Joint Committee to be appointed by the Athlone Urban District Council (with Ballymore amalgamated) out of their respective bodies. The expenses of the Joint Committee to be borne by these District Councils on a valuation basis as heretofore.
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17.The remaining business of the Delvin Board of Guardians and of the Granard Board of Guardians arising in the County Westmeath to be transferred to Delvin Rural District Council (with Coole Rural District Council amalgamated).
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18.The remaining business of the Mullingar Board of Guardians to be transferred to the Mullingar Rural District Council.
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19.The Government Bounty to County Roscommon in lieu of rates on the Barracks of Athlone to be paid to County Westmeath in future. County Roscommon to be no longer liable for expenses arising in Westmeath in connection with Athlone Courthouse.
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20.Patients admitted to Athlone Hospital as urgent cases from that part of the County Roscommon convenient to Athlone Town to be paid for by Roscommon County Home and Hospital Committee on a capitation basis, or at a fixed rate per head if mutually agreed upon.
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21.The present system of distributing outdoor relief to be abolished, and the Relieving Officers to be superannuated or compensated for loss of office.
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22.District Councils will co-operate with members of sub-committee of the County Home and Hospitals Committee in supervising and checking distribution of Home Help.
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23.The term Home Help to be substituted for Outdoor Relief.
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24.Payments in respect of Home Help to be made by the Secretary of the County Home and Hospitals Committee. All liabilities of Athlone District Hospital to be discharged in a similar manner.
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25.Distribution of Home Help to be done in future by Paying Orders. Application for temporary allowance to be made on special forms. The Councillor for the District must vouch for in writing the bona fides of the applicant. These applications when dealt with by the District Committee will be forwarded with recommendations to the Hospital Home Committee. Where necessary books of Paying Orders covering a period to be sent to applicant. Each Order to be dated as to when payment is available.
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26.To meet urgent cases every Urban Councillor and every District Councillor will be supplied with Emergency Help Forms. These forms to be used in cases where necessary to provide for a burial or supply a coffin. All emergency help cases dealt with to be brought before the next meeting of the District Committee in the area concerned and in the form prescribed.
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27.The Athlone No. 1 District Council will in addition co-operate in dealing with contracts for repairs and contracts for supply of materials and provisions. Any and every order made by such Sub-Committee and District Council, whether for supplies of materials, provisions, repairs or award of Home Help, to be ratified by County Home and Hospital Committee.
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28.Demands formerly made by the Boards of Guardians to be now made by Hospital and Home Committee who will receive monies direct from the County Council.
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29.Children at present in Workhouses to be boarded out or sent to Industrial Schools. The amount for boarding out or otherwise to be fixed by the Home Committee.
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30.Clerks of District Councils shall forthwith proceed to adjust accounts in respect of Unions abolished as from date of removal of inmates and patients to County Home and Hospital.
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31.Officers under Dairies and Cowsheds Order to be dispensed with.
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32.Two Inspectors be appointed who will be responsible for supervising Home Help distribution, duties of Sanitary Sub-Officer and Inspector of Dairies and Cowsheds. They will also be required to inspect boarded out children in the County.
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33.The Home and Hospitals Committee to be appointed triennially after each election.
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34.The Scheme will come into operation on the 1st day of November, 1921.
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35.Any matter or thing arising under this Scheme and not provided for, to be settled between the local bodies affected thereby, with the approval of the County, Council and the ultimate sanction of the Local Government Department.
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WEXFORD COUNTY SCHEME 1. That the four general Workhouses in the County be abolished.
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2.That the following institutions be established:— (a) A County Home at Enniscorthy for the aged and infirm homeless poor (who cannot be boarded out with “Home Assistance”), for chronic cases, expectant mothers (unmarried) and idiots and epileptics; and for such children as cannot be boarded out. (b) A County Hospital at Wexford for the treatment of medical and surgical cases. (c) A County Fever Hospital at Wexford for the treatment of all infectious diseases, and for observation purposes. (d) A District Hospital at Gorey for the treatment of medical and surgical cases of an urgent character arising in the Gorey District. (e) A District Hospital at New Ross for the treatment of medical and surgical cases of an urgent character arising in the New Ross District. (f) An Annex, to accommodate 12 patients, to be built to the District Hospital at Gorey, for fever patients from Gorey District, and pending its erection that these patients be accommodated in a ward of the Workhouse Infirmary.
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3.The present Workhouse buildings at Enniscorthy and Wexford, and the Fever. Hospitals at Gorey, New Ross and Wexford, to be utilised for the purposes of the Scheme.
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4.That an authority be created, to be called the County Board of Public Health, consisting of 30 members, to exercise the following powers:— (a) Powers of management and control of the County Home and Hospitals, including the Mental Hospital at Enniscorthy. (The Mental Hospital to be managed by the present Committee but under the general supervision of the Public Health Board, to which body it shall submit its estimate and annual report.) (b) Powers and functions of the present Boards of Guardians. (c) Any other powers and functions delegated to them by the County Council. (d) The composition of the first Board to be as follows:— 8 County Councillors.
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4 Chairmen of Rural District Councils.
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4 Representatives of Boards of Guardians.
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2 Representatives of the Wexford Corporation (one to be the Mayor of Wexford for the time being).
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2 Representatives of the towns of Enniscorthy and New Ross.
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1 Representative of the Town Commissioners of Gorey.
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4 Persons nominated by the County Council.
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3 Representatives of the County Insurance Committee.
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2 Representatives of the County Medical Association. (1.) For ordinary administration of the Public Health Board, seven members, shall form a quorum. (2.) The Board of Health may carry out any of its functions through appointed sub-committees, and may appoint a sub-committee to discharge any special function. Such sub-committee is to be subject to the Board of Public Health in the same manner as the Board of Public Health shall be subject to the County Council.
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5.The area of charges for expenses incurred in connection with the institutions established in connection with the Scheme is to be as follows:— Administrative charges for County Home, County Hospital and District Hospitals in New Ross and Gorey to be County-at-Large charges, and the maintenance of patients in the County Hospital, County Home, and the District Hospitals chargeable to each Rural District, according to the number of patients.