asked the Minister for Health if he will state on whom responsibility rests for the loss to the Exchequer arising from the abandonment of the proposed sanatorium at Santry Court; and whether, if any officials have been held culpable in the matter, it is proposed to raise a surcharge against them in like manner as it would be raised against officials of local authorities responsible for losses.

The cost of providing regional sanatoria is not being met from State funds.

The decision to abandon Santry Court as a site for the Dublin Sanatorium was taken in view of the unforeseen development of air traffic at Dublin Airport which has rendered it necessary to provide new and extended runways capable of accommodating aircraft of the heaviest type.

No officials have been in any way culpable in this matter. The third part of the question, therefore, does not arise.

Is it not unfair to the taxpayer that some provision has not been made by the Government so that somebody could be held responsible for the mismanagement in the case of Santry Court? If only a small payment is made by a county manager or authorised by a county council, they are held up by the Department of Local Government and surcharged.