We use Google Analytics to see which pages are read and how the site is used, so we know what to improve. This only runs if you accept. See our privacy notice for details.

Seanad
‹ Order of Business

Unfilled hospital consultant posts

Summary

Senator Burke highlights the long-vacant paediatric urology consultant post and asks the Health Minister to address problems with the new contracts.

On the failure to appoint hospital consultants, when the rules applying to consultant contracts were changed in 2012 I stated the new structure would not work. I have been proved correct as a number of vacancies for hospital consultants remain unfilled, including a consultant post in paediatric urology in Dublin, specifically to deal with children with spina bifida. This post has been vacant for more than 18 months and is unlikely to be filled in the immediate future because of the structure of the contracts being offered. Will the Leader ask the Minister for Health to come to the House to debate this issue? It is time to change the offers being made to consultants. We must realise that we are competing in a world market for medical consultants. I understand that two thirds of the consultant posts advertised in the past 12 months have not been filled. If we change the structure immediately, it will still take 12 months to fill all current vacancies. In addition, a number of consultants are set to retire in the coming months. This matter should be given priority and addressed immediately. I ask the Leader to raise the matter with the Minister.

Comment on this