Josepha Madigan (Dublin Rathdown, Fine Gael)
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I thank Ms Harkin-Kelly for her very comprehensive presentation. Midwives do a significant amount of work and save a significant amount of time for consultants on a daily basis. I have a very strong view on that. It is awful to hear that morale is so low. We are delighted that Ms Harkin-Kelly is before the committee today so that we can try to move forward and find some solutions.

I refer to the plan over 15 years, in terms of changes in technology and medical science. How does Ms Harkin-Kelly envisage the health sector dealing with that? Would a plan have to be reconsidered after a period of time? How does the INMO envisage the devolution of funding for health care to work? Does it see scope for community providers and not-for-profit organisations to participate? I am interested in hearing the views of Ms Harkin-Kelly on that.

Ms Harkin-Kelly referred to transforming models of care and the very significant expansion of duties for nurses and midwives. I refer in particular to her comments on empowering nurses and midwives to order diagnostic tests. The phrasing is interesting. She did not say that they should diagnose something; rather, that they could order tests. From an insurance perspective - I am veering into the territory of the role of doctors - I would like her to flesh that out for me. I have concerns about that from a medical negligence perspective.