Gino Kenny (Dublin Mid West, People Before Profit Alliance) | Oireachtas source

My second question is on the shortage of consultants in our health service. According to the Irish Hospital Consultants Association, IHCA, there are 900 outstanding vacancies relating to that work spec. That is putting enormous pressure on our health service. A press release from the IHCA a number of weeks ago states that waiting times cannot be tackled until these places are filled. What are the HSE and the Department of Health doing to try to fill these vacancies? There is historical context to this since the financial emergency measures in the public interest, FEMPI, pay cuts and so forth. What are the agencies doing to fill these posts?