Dr. Peadar Gilligan:

There is a challenge in recruitment and retention for the level 2 hospitals. We are, however, seeing challenges in recruitment across the system. It is not just at consultant level but also at non-consultant hospital doctor, NCHD, level. Many hospitals around the country are relying on locum agencies to provide them with staff to provide care to their patients on an ongoing basis. It is all reflective of what Deputy O'Connell referred to as "a bags of things" having been made of recruitment and retention. We clearly need to get this right. We need to make it attractive to provide specialist care in Irish hospitals throughout the country from level 1 all the way to level 4.

The only way we are going to achieve that is by meaningfully addressing the contractual issues of consultants. I return to Deputy Durkan's point. We do have to realise that we are competing in an international market for specialists. It has to be attractive for people to work here. That certainly includes pay but it also includes the supports necessary to provide specialist care. It includes the supports that are necessary to continue because many of our specialists have a background in research and training and education. They require support in the delivery of that as well. Let us move from a bags of things to getting things right. That involves real engagement with the Government and the representative bodies to address the recruitment challenges that we have.