Professor Donal O'Shea:

On access to health care, an increasing number of endocrinologists within the HSE system are seeing and dealing with this condition. I have always tried to keep it exclusively within the public system; therefore, I never have taken private income. That answers the accusation about vested interests. I am very much of the opinion that conditions of this nature need to be managed within the public system in order that those involved can be referred on through the system to the treatment abroad scheme. Within the private system, this would be extremely expensive. I have encouraged other health care specialists who trained with us to do the same. The workload is small in volume. When specialists are being identified, they should be regulated, subject to Irish Medical Council sanction if they are involved in exploiting someone or if they are seen to be vested in their interests.