asked the Minister for Health if he will state (a) the total number of hospital beds and (b) the number of hospital beds per 1,000 population in the functional area of the Cork Health Authority and in the country as a whole under the following classifications: (i) general medical and surgical, (ii) maternity, (iii) district hospital type beds, (iv) beds in county homes, (v) beds in mental hospitals, (vi) beds for tuberculosis patients and (vii) any others, specifying in each case how many of these beds are under the control of a local authority.

As the reply is in the form of a tabular statement, I propose, with the permission of the Ceann Comhairle, to have it circulated with the Official Report. The figures relate to the year 1960.

Following is the statement:—