Leo Varadkar (Dublin West, Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

I will answer the Deputy's question with a straight answer. The Government accepts we have a problem in recruiting and retaining consultants in our public hospital system. What is being done about it? We have a three-year pay agreement, which involves pay increases and pay restoration for consultants, including two pay increases next year and an increment. We have negotiated with ICTU an arrangement for new entrants recruited after 2011-12 to equalise the pay scales. It does not do that fully for consultants, but it goes a considerable way towards that. There will be two pay increases, pay restoration, an increment, as well as special measures for new entrants, all happening next year. Those pay increases take a big chunk out of that extra €1 billion for healthcare next year. We need to ensure we do not allow all the money go into extra pay and pay rises. We also need to ensure there is money for new services, new drugs, new equipment and new buildings.

We accept the Public Service Pay Commission report, which I have read as have the Ministers for Health and Public Expenditure and Reform. The best thing we can do now is to engage with the IMO and the IHCA on what can be done to improve the situation. We also need to bear in mind some realities. We probably need a new approach. We have more doctors working in our health service than ever before, but we are not seeing that matched in an increase in activity in-----

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