asked the Minister for Local Government and Public Health if he will state (a) his reasons for refusing to sanction payment of a bonus of 12/- per week to the married male attendants and 9/6 to single male attendants, as recommended by the manager of the District Mental Hospital at Mullingar last January; (b) why he reduced these amounts to 11/- in the case of the married men and 8/-in the case of the single men in that institution; and (c) whether he was actuated by similar reasons in refusing to sanction a bonus of 15/- to married attendants as recommended by the manager of the Clonmel District Mental Hospital in December, 1945, and in substituting a bonus of 11/- therefor.

Mental hospital attendants, whether resident or not, are in receipt of rations and allowances in respect of rations as well as other emoluments which do not vary in amount with changes in the cost of living. Consequently, it is appropriate that emergency bonuses granted to such officers in respect of increases in the cost of living should be suitably abated. The maximum appropriate rates of bonus were sanctioned in respect of the attendants referred to by the Deputy in the Clonmel and Mullingar Mental Hospitals.

How does the Minister reconcile his decision in this matter with his repeated declarations to this House that it is primarily a matter for the local authority? The local authority made proposals in this case which the Minister whittled down.

I said it was primarily, but I did not say it was solely, a matter for the local authority. It is my responsibility to try to ensure that there is a uniformity and equitability of treatment as between servants of all local authorities.

In other words, there is still a Caesar.