asked the Minister for Local Government and Public Health if he will state whether and when he sanctioned the provision of a maternity ward for the district hospital at Edenderry, County Offaly; or why such facilities are not available; and if he will state further the approximate or actual annual charge to the ratepayers for carrying patients from the electoral area concerned to the county hospital for the past ten years.

Works of improvement at the Edenderry Hospital, including the provision of accommodation for maternity cases, were approved by me on the 13th February, 1941. I have no information as to why the facilities provided have not been made available for maternity cases, but I have caused inquiries to be made into the matter.

Statistics of the nature referred to in the last part of the question are not available.