James Browne (Wexford, Fianna Fail) | Oireachtas source

I thank the witnesses for their informative contributions. My first question relates to doctors practising as consultants who are not specialists in the areas. How common is that? Is it acceptable? Is it becoming normalised in the HSE or is there an attempt to normalise it? How safe is it? Is it potentially dangerous? Is anybody effectively overseeing or accounting for any of these non-specialists practising as consultants?

My other question relates to another restructuring of the HSE. It appears the implementation of the restructuring will mean there will be nobody at the top table with the term "mental health" in their title. There will no longer be a director of mental health. How concerned are the witnesses about that? We already know mental health is the Cinderella of the HSE but with nobody at the top table any more, will accountability and representation be lost? On a deeper level, is there a concern that the restructuring relating to the finance side, and I am finding it difficult to get a handle on that at present, will mean accountability for the spend on mental health will be lost? One of the ways we hold the Government to account is the ability to compare year on year on year and I am concerned that this restructuring will mean we will no longer be able to do that because there is a blurring of the financial side of it.