Dr. Clive Kilgallen:

I thank the Deputy for his question. We have only received the draft contract very recently. Discussions have started but they are at a very early stage. It is very important to understand for everybody that the healthcare system in our nation is very complicated and changing the contract of one group is not going to be the answer for everything. We need more consultants employed on a contract that is fit for purpose and will meld into what is happening and allow them to be attracted back, which is of great importance. The post-2012 consultants whose pay scales were reduced over and above other public sector workers has been a significant issue and has been one of the factors in recruitment and retention. Certainly the IMO, IHCA and HSE all want the same thing. We want more doctors working and seeing more patients. That is what we want to do. Surgeons love doing surgeries, endoscopists love doing endoscopies and so on. We want to be allowed to do what we have trained to do which is to see and care for our patients.