David Cullinane (Waterford, Sinn Fein) | Oireachtas source

With regard to the new public-only consultant contracts, the strong cross-party support which existed for that has certainly helped. It is very welcome news from my perspective that there is, as Mr. Watt stated, more than 600 posts which are now in place and 160 new entrants. That demonstrates to those who were sceptical that once the contracts were in place, people would take them up. Is Mr. Watt satisfied that more will take up those contracts? What is the projected number for year end, if there is one?