Colm Burke (Cork North Central, Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

Dr. Humphries is suggesting that we go into the issue by employing more consultants, but I hear big arguments from consultants. For instance, I spoke to a consultant who I think works in Galway or in the north west. She came back from the United States, where she had two days of operating time per week. Now she has a half day per week. She tries to get three operations done within her session, which is after lunchtime. She has been advised that if she does not have a patient into theatre by 4 p.m., that operation must be cancelled. In that scenario, she ends up doing two operations per week. She was doing up to 12 or 14 operations per week when she worked in the United States. If we employ more consultants, we have to be able to get access to theatre space in order that they can keep up their skills. That is one of the other challenges. How would the witnesses deal with that issue?