Mr. Andrew Condon:

To describe a typical application, once an application is received by NDTP, it takes an average of six weeks from the email arriving to an approval letter issuing. I sign approval letters for consultant posts within 24 hours to 72 hours. The application is funded. It is received by NDTP which will put it in front of the next meeting of the CAAC, which meets on a monthly basis. If there are no issues, it will be approved on the day. An approval letter will be drafted rapidly. Once that is drafted and signed, it goes to recruitment. This is the administrative process, but it reflects the legal obligations the HSE has under the Health Acts. It reflects the idea that sometimes what is proposed in the system is not fit for purpose. For example, a particular surgical post will not be put in place in a hospital which does not provide that service. Historically, there has been that need to regulate the system. It does act as a control on the number of posts because the number of consultant posts has actually increased exponentially over the past ten years, going up by 41% since 2008. It does not act as a limiter. It acts as a quality control piece on consultant posts.

We have an administrative unit and one committee. That is a six-week process.