Liz McManus (Wicklow, Labour)
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Question 49: To ask the Tánaiste and Minister for Health and Children if, arising from the Travers report, there was any record in her Department regarding the reason the new Minister for Health who took over in March 1987 decided not to proceed with legislation that had been prepared by his predecessor, Mr. John Boland, aimed at regularising the situation in regard to the charging of long stay patients; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [9385/05]

Mary Harney (Dublin Mid West, Progressive Democrats)
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No record has been found in my Department which indicates clearly why the legislative proposals to address the issue of charging of long stay patients put to Government while John Boland was Minister for Health were not proceeded with.

As reported in the Travers report, the Government decision in relation to this matter stated that the proposals concerned were to be addressed "on the basis in so far as is now relevant." Mr. Travers has reported that "at the time of the Government decision, provision was made for further discussion on the matter by the then Taoiseach, the Minister for Health and the Minister for Finance. No record of the content or the outcome of these discussions was made available to me by the Departments of Health and Children, Finance or An Taoiseach and I was informed that no such record exists on their files.".