Dr. Colm Henry:

Professor Murray, on behalf of two of the hospitals concerned, asked the management and clinical management if they had any safety concerns over these doctors and none has emerged to date. Indeed, many have accrued a great deal of experience not only here but also abroad; it just so happens that experience and expertise is not aligned with the criteria required to be on a specialist register, hence the difficulty. Currently, no systematic themes on safety issues in relation to these consultants are coming through. That does not take away from the fact that we need to be in a position where all consultants who are called consultants can be on the specialist register, which is a condition of employment since 2008.