Jack Chambers (Dublin West, Fianna Fail) | Oireachtas source

On the consultants appointed without completing specialist training schemes, there are up to 50 before 2008 and 100 after 2008. I understand site-to-site visits will be carried out. Is there an issue regarding the training programme? Are there consultants who would be perceived to be specialists but who, in terms of their training, are not? Are they providing supervision to other doctors in training schemes? Is there an issue in the context of medical ethics whereby a consultant who might not have completed specialist training might be the lead clinician in a team providing the end goal of care and guidance regarding a patient plan? It is deceptive for patients in that they might believe someone is a consultant but did not know they had not completed training. There is a mismatch in respect of the perception of skill sets. For example, one would not have someone flying a plane who had not fully trained as a pilot. With specialists, however, we have allowed that.

Aside from the personal training plans being put in place, who authorised these appointments? How did general doctors end up being locum consultants and then permanent consultants? Who was responsible for that?