Mr. Barry O'Brien:

For the information of the committee, this specific allowance was one that was dealt with by the Labour Court under our engagement at the court with the Irish Medical Organisation and the Irish Hospital Consultants Association. We sought to abolish it for all. We sought that the second opinion allowance should not be paid in any circumstance but should be carried out as part of the normal duties of a consultant. The Labour Court said it has no jurisdiction over allowances but that they are the reserve of the national implementation body of the Public Service Agreement and the Department of Public Expenditure and Reform.