Margaret Murphy O'Mahony (Cork South West, Fianna Fail) | Oireachtas source

I apologise for my absence at the start. I was on local radio discussing the topic of seaweed in Bantry Bay. We all have our own worries.

I welcome the delegates. It is important to note that most consultants do not act in the way protrayed on the RTÉ programme. There are bad apples in every walk of life, but everyone is not the same and all consultants are not like that. Why did it take an RTÉ programme to highlight the problems? Consultants are not taking up positions in a lot of places, which leads to temporary contracts. Are those with temporary contracts as efficient as full-time consultants? Is there a potential conflict between the operation of the National Treatment Purchase Fund and the consultants' public contract? Since the programme was aired, has anything been done to ensure this will not continue? What will be done about it? Why is it happening at all? Is there undue deference shown by administration officials, in particular, towards consultants? It may have a traditional basis, but some people think it is still shown. I would like to hear the delegates' comments on the issue.