Caoimhghín Ó Caoláin (Cavan-Monaghan, Sinn Fein)
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I welcome the Minister of State and Mr. O'Brien and their respective colleagues to the meeting. I wish Mr. Woods well in his new appointment and responsibilities. I thank Dr. O'Connell for his service.

The Minister of State referred to the review of the Mental Health Act which she intends to publish. Will it be published in this year? I ask her to elaborate on the review, which speaks about further improving and supporting the rights of those suffering from mental illness. I refer to those who are not only suffering from mental illness but have had a challenge in terms of their mental illness. The reference to suffering from mental illness suggests a problem that I believe is in the minds of many - the notion that there is no recovery. The reality is that people get better. That is a very important point which is not clear there.

A number of cases have been brought to my attention recently in which people are being clearly discriminated against in terms of their former, existing or prospective employment because they have been open and forthcoming about their experience. I want to know if the Minister of State will include address of that issue in order to further the rights of people who have suffered or are suffering from either depression or some other challenge with regard to their mental health. It is a very important area and I will be addressing it to the Minister of State by other means in the time ahead. I ask her to indicate whether that is something she hopes to focus on in the review of the Mental Health Act.

I have a question for Mr. O'Brien on two matters arising from his opening statement on the subject of the emergency departments. I recognise the range of actions that have been taken to respond to the difficulties that have presented over the past period of many weeks. He referred to actions including additional transitional care beds, a further number of short-stay beds and additional home supports. In my view, there is a glaring omission in this list of actions - which are all essential, and more besides, I would say - but there is no mention in the list of the initiatives taken, or to be taken, with regard to additional public long-stay residential beds. I believe this is crucial in terms of addressing the delayed discharge issue. Many of those in delayed discharge are not able to return home because they are either incapable of looking after themselves or they do not have the familial support or backup necessary for them to cope. They are looking for access to long-stay residential care. Dependence on the private sector is not good enough. We have a bounden responsibility as a public health service to ensure that we are providing as best as budgets will allow, and I accept that.

I mean no criticism of HIQA's observations but it has produced a series of reports which resulted in a reduction in the number of beds in some of our older institutions. Are plans being prepared to increase the number of public long-stay residential beds at settings across the State?

In regard to Portiuncula hospital, the review will include an examination of the perinatal care provided to the seven women concerned. Since we first learned about this cohort of seven women, a significant number of additional individuals have presented with differing degrees of concern about their experiences in Portiuncula. I am told the figure may be as high as 40, although I cannot confirm it. Will the review include those individuals who have since come forward and will the review team have the power to take on board other cases that may present in the course of its work?

I inquired in question No. 7 about consultant posts across the various specialties in our acute hospital network. These posts do not include psychiatry but they do include paediatrics, pathology, radiology, surgery, anesthesia, emergency medicine, intensive care medicine, obstetrics and gynaecology. To cut to the chase, there are a total of 2,314 posts across the board but 325, or 14%, of these are not permanently filled. I acknowledge that a number are currently filled by temporary locum or agency placement but a significant number are still vacant. What steps are being take to address the need for permanent appointments to these posts and what is the expectation in terms of an increased number of posts in the course of 2015? I note that 40 additional posts are signalled but we need many more if we are to put in place a real and attractive career path for those we wish to retain in or attract back to our health system, so they can deliver their specialties and experience to Irish patients.