Recent correspondence I had with members of the Donegal branch of Diabetes Ireland has thrown up the massive problems Letterkenny University Hospital and the Saolta group are having in the recruitment and retention of consultant endocrinologists in the hospital. The former Minister for Health, Deputy Harris, announced a second post in 2017. To date that has never been filled. The current resident will finish up in the coming weeks. From what I can gather, Saolta and the HSE have no plan yet for endocrinology cover and proper governance from July onwards. I have been consistently raising the ongoing issues in diabetes care in the north west but nothing has improved. Why is Saolta having such difficulties recruiting people to specialist roles in diabetes care across the north west, but particularly in Letterkenny University Hospital? Will the Taoiseach ask the Minister, Saolta and Letterkenny University Hospital to meet with Deputies and stakeholders from the region as a matter of urgency to try to address this issue?

I will certainly make the Minister, Deputy Donnelly, aware that Deputy Pringle raised it here in the Dáil today. Recruitment and retention of consultants is a challenge throughout the country but more so in some parts of the country than others. Under the new consultant contract, we offer a salary of €250,000 a year if people dedicate themselves to public practice. They can still do private practice in their own time, so it is extremely good money, but it is not just about money, and when there are many more posts available around the world than there are people qualified for them, it can be difficult to fill posts.