Local Government Act, 1925

County medical officers of health.

21.—(1) The council of every county shall appoint, with the approval of the Minister, for every county health district in such county, a medical practitioner duly qualified as such and with such other qualifications as may be prescribed to be the superintendent medical officer of health of such county health district and of every urban district in such county situate in or adjoining such county health district, and such officer shall be known as the County Medical Officer of Health with the addition of the distinguishing name of such county health district.

(2) Where an urban district adjoins more than one county health district in the same county the Minister shall direct, after consultation with the councils of such urban district and county respectively, which of such county health districts is to have the same county medical officer of health as such urban district.

(3) The salary of a county medical officer of health shall be paid by the county council and shall be charged on the area for which he acts.

(4) Nothing in this Act shall prejudicially affect the right of any local authority to whom additional duties have been transferred under this Act from obtaining such recoupment from the Local Taxation Account or other source for salaries and other expenditure as was hitherto payable in connection with such duties.

(5) A county medical officer of health shall be a sanitary officer within the meaning of section 11 of the Public Health (Ireland) Act, 1878 .

(6) Every county medical officer of health in and in respect of the area for which he acts, shall—

(a) be responsible to the board of health and to the council of every urban district in such area for the effective administration of the sanitary laws and of the various powers and duties of such board and of every such council in relation to the safeguarding of the health of the people, the provision of adequate and sanitary housing accommodation and other similar matters;

(b) advise such board or council, or the county council on any matter where expert advice is required on matters affecting the health of his county or district;

(c) perform such other duties as may be prescribed and also such other duties as may be assigned to him by such board or council with the consent of the Minister.

(7) A county medical officer of health shall not engage in private practice and shall devote the whole of his time to the service of one or more local authorities.

(8) As from the appointed day the office of medical superintendent officer of health of a rural sanitary district or urban district and the office of medical officer of a county council under the Midwives (Ireland) Act, 1918, shall be abolished and the powers and duties of every such officer transferred to the county medical officer of health.