James Reilly (Dublin North, Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

Senator Colm Burke raised a number of issues around consultants, NCHDs, training and levels of staffing. Mr. O'Brien would have all the details on that. Senator Crown raised issues around the medical schools. I would have one comment to make on that. While one likes to have as many staff as possible, it is the same argument in regard to teaching. I think the Finns have shown quite conclusively that it is not the student-teacher ratio that is as important as the quality of the teaching. I think our medical schools have proved, that as have their peers in the educational system generally.

Senator Crown also raised the issue of electronic telemetry and Mr. O'Brien will deal with that. He also raised the issue around GPs and all the new documentation mentioned in the new contract. The Minister of State, Deputy White, will be anxious to speak on that.

Senator Crown referred to the issue of the funding of hospitals. I put it to the Senator that what he described in his analogy was the nuclear option and, of course, in the modern world the nuclear options are not used but what are used are all the other conventional arms available and there is a myriad of them. One can have material change within hospitals, which can be quite effective, without actually hurting patients. However, I will let Mr. O'Brien deal with that in a more comprehensive fashion.