Mr. Jim Ryan:

Dr. Doody might speak on that. We have had some success recently in recruiting consultants in parts of the country where we previously found it difficult, including the north west and the south east. It can sometimes take six months for people to change life circumstances etc. The committee is aware that the Minister for Health has spoken about the need to look at the differential between the new recruits and existing consultants. The mood music may be changing a little on that. We are also looking at putting in higher support training posts so we can grow consultants over a number of years. It is a little like nursing in that sometimes we have new developments that essentially denude existing services. We move people around as distinct from increasing a pool.