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Records of Offaly Board of Health and Public Assistance Boarding out
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Minute Book (1922)

Contains reports outlining the transition of Tullamore Workhouse into a county home. Also contains reports from sub-committees representing the other poor law unions (Edenderry and Birr) concerning the winding up of operations in those workhouses and the transfer of functions to Tullamore.

Significant redeployment of personnel is recorded such as hospital staff from the newly closed County Infirmary, and compensation claims from employees whose posts were defunct such as Clerk of the Union were also dealt with by the committee. Records decisions in relation to medical personnel based at various dispensaries throughout the county, and proposals relating to the treatment of TB patients. Also contains reports of new tenders granted for the supply of goods to the county home and some letters of protest about contracts being awarded to new suppliers in ' a ringing of the changes in certain interests.' (see p55, letter to the committee re Contract for the Supply of Bread, 28 October 1921.'

Includes regular matron's reports from the county home and hospital with medical details of patients. Also includes a report by the Visiting Committee (James O'Connor, Teresa Wyer and Mary K. Dunne) on the state of the county home following Amalgamation (p16, 23 July 1922).

Contains details of 'boarded-out' children such as their names and ages, and the names and addresses of their foster parents.

Minute Book (1923)

Minutes recording proceedings of meetings of the Hospital and Homes Committee containing various reports such as Superintendent's Report from the County Home; Superintendent's Report from County Hospital; and Sub-committee reports from Birr Rural District, Edenderry Rural District, Tullamore Rural District, and Roscrea No 2 Rural District on matters relating to dispensaries and hospitals in their respective areas. Also contains lists of 'Letters and Sanctions' from the Ministry of Local Government.

Issues covered by the various reports are concerned with the appointment and salaries of employees; the arrest and detention of members of the committee during the Civil War (see p5, 10 April 1923); building works at dispensaries and hospitals; compensation and pension claims arising from the winding-up of the poor law unions; matters arising with the TB hospital in Birr; commandeering of Dr Woods house at Kinnitty Dispensary by the military (p 43, 8 May 1923); tenders for the supply of provisions to the county home; details of patients at the hospital; proposal from Ministry of Local Government relating to the abolition of Hospital and Homes Committee and Substitution of the County Board of Health therefor under the Local Government (Temporary Provisions) Act, 1923 (p59, 17 May 1923); remaining furniture from Birr Union being taken to Birr Castle on its requisition by Free State Army (pp62-63, 17 May 1923); the condition of Birr workhouse following evacuation by Free State Army (p 64, 2 June 1923); financial issues arising from failure to return 'inmates' in county homes to their counties of origin on amalgamation in 1921; and a proposal by the Ministry of Local Government relating to the appointments of Home Assistance Officers.

Includes report by the Visiting Committee (James O'Connor, J. Scally and Teresa Wyer) on condition of county home (p71, 10 July 1923) and remarks on unfulfilled recommendations from the previous year's report. Also includes extracts from the report of Dr Florence Dillon, medical inspector with the Department of Local Government on the condition of the hospitals at Tullamore, Birr and Edenderry, recommending the closure of the latter (p76, 22 June 1923) .

Contains lists of boarded out children, their foster parents and details of their accommodation, general health and condition in a report of the inspector of boarded out children. (p.87, 10 July 1923)

Minute Book (1923-1924)

Minutes recording proceedings of meetings of the Hospital and Homes Committee containing various reports such as Superintendent's Report from the County Home; Superintendent's Report from County Hospital; Registrar's reports; and Sub-committee reports from Birr Rural District, Edenderry Rural District, Tullamore Rural District, and Roscrea No 2 Rural District on matters relating to dispensaries and hospitals in their respective areas. Also contains lists of 'Letters and Sanctions' from the Ministry of Local Government.

Matters arising from the reports include financial orders relating to the appointment and salaries of officers in the hospitals and dispensaries throughout the county; building works and alterations to premises; tenders for the supply of provisions to the county home; issues relating to Birr TB hospital; details of medical cases and transfers to extern hospitals; details of the recipients of Home Help including boarded-out children; referrals of complaints against named doctors and midwives; the financial state of Offaly Board of Health which is owed £6,055 by Offaly County Council (p31, 11 December 1923); the removal of furniture from Birr Union buildings and damage to same by Free State soldiers (p40, Nov 1923); reports on every dispensary district in the county (p44, 15 Nov 1923); arrangement for the workhouse buildings in the county which are not required for poor law purposes; the proposed closure of Edenderry District Hospital (p59, 19 February 1924); and the administration of home assistance.

Includes a resolution passed to refuse to hold a meeting or transact any business as a protest to the failure of Offaly County Council to transfer £6,055 as owed to the Board. (p54, 15 January 1924).

Includes reports from the Inspector of Boarded-out Children, in respect of arrangements for various children throughout the county.

Minute Book (1924)

Minutes recording proceedings of meetings of the Hospital and Homes Committee containing various reports such as Superintendent's Report from the County Home; Superintendent's Report from County Hospital; Registrar's reports; and Sub-committee reports from Birr Rural District, Edenderry Rural District, Tullamore Rural District, and Roscrea No 2 Rural District on matters relating to dispensaries and hospitals in their respective areas. Also contains lists of 'Letters and Sanctions' from the Ministry of Local Government.

Matters arising include employment and remuneration of staff; building and maintenance of hospitals and dispensaries throughout the county; the winding up of the poor law unions and final audits of their accounts; the administration of home assistance and the employment of home assistance officers; transfer of patients to extern hospitals; notification of a new 'most fatal' disease of encephalitis lethargica (sleeping sickness) in the fever hospital (p22, 13 May 1924); the TB hospital in Birr; proposal to appoint a dentist to the county hospital on recommendation of Surgeon Meagher; military occupation of the dispensary residence in Kinnitty and damages arising therefrom (p60, 10 June 1924); the designation of Edenderry District Hospital and Birr District Hospital (St. Brendan's) as permanent institutions by the Ministry of Local Government; the burial expenses of the poor; and financial distress of the Board due to Offaly County Council's inability to transfer funds and consequent non-payment of home assistance to the poor (p95, 19 August 1924)'.

Includes report of the Visiting Committee on the state of the County Home (p2, 8 April 1924). Responds critically to the proposal by the Ministry of Local Government to replace some attendants with 'inmate' labour. Also requests resolution of the 'urgent matter' in providing a separate institution to house unmarried mothers, noting that there are twenty-one unmarried mothers in the county home for which there is not sufficient accommodation. Proposes taking over a disused workhouse for this purpose to which two or three counties would contribute to its upkeep.

Includes resolution made in response to a request by Tipperary North Riding Board of Health to set up an institution under the care of religious orders for maintenance and education of children at present in various county homes: 'This Board is not in favour of bringing up children in any institution believing that boarding-out in suitable homes throughout the county is better for the child as well as for the community.'(p68, 26 May 1924).

Includes copy of the order issued by the Ministry of Local Government dissolving Offaly County Council and the Offaly County Board of Health and placing them under the commissionership of David O'Keefe, Blair's Hill, Cork. (p125, 12 September 1924).

Contains details of boarded-out children, names and addresses of foster parents and general conditions of children and their accommodation.