Simon Harris (Wicklow, Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

We need a bit more detail before we can form a viewpoint on some of these. I wish to have a quick look at some of the allowances. I understand that the living-out allowance for registrars, house officers and interns is paid to non-consultant doctors who are rotating between hospitals to help them secure temporary accommodation which is not available on the hospital site. In Mr. O'Brien's business case, the HSE has acknowledged that there might be merit in reducing the weekly allowance. I also know that the Labour Court has an opinion on the payment of the allowance and its continuance. Does Mr. O'Brien have an estimate of how much the HSE could save? I understand that if it is in the course of negotiation, he may not want to reveal that. How did the HSE originally set the rate for this allowance?