Item 4 - 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.