Michael Harty (Clare, Independent) | Oireachtas source

It is not uncommon for a public consultant to recommend that a public patient get a private scan and come back with it, because the doctor would not have access to that scan in the public system. That would be a very common statement to make to patients. Consultants are encouraging people to get private scans and people are happy to do so if it speeds up the process. It does not preclude them from getting back into the public system, in my experience.