asked the Minister for Health when the report of the Finlay Commission on payment to hospital consultants will be published.

The interim report of the review body was submitted to me on 20 January and the necessary arrangements have been made to have copies of the report available to interested parties. In fact, since I drafted that reply it has been made available to practically everyone who might be interested.

Would the Minister care to comment on the fact that it has taken four years to produce what I consider to be a very ambiguous and useless document? Does he consider they should have spent all that time and money in producing that document? What are his comments on the matter?

The only comment I would make is that I would not agree with the Deputy's comments. The Deputy will have to admit that the work of the committee to a large extent was overshadowed by political developments.

Is the Minister aware that this working party travelled to Canada, Scotland and Europe at great public expense? They then produced a woolly document consisting of a few pages. From what the Minister has said it appears he has not read it——

The Deputy knows I have read it.

I am surprised the Minister does not agree with my comments. He knows in his heart that it is a very bad document having regard to all the work and money involved.

I would point out that it is an interim report.

Is the Minister in agreement with the recommendations in the report?

The Deputy should put down a question.

That is not in the original question.

The Minister will not say whether he is in agreement with the recommendations.

The report is still under consideration. It is only an interim report and, to a large extent, the work of that body has been over-taken by events. The body was set up to come forward with a scheme in the context of total free hospitalisation.

The Minister will not give his views.

The committee has produced an interim report in the context of a situation which is no longer applicable.