Mr. Éamonn Donnelly:

I will share the Deputy's view on that. While I am a part-time distant commentator on healthcare because of my field in terms of the categories of workers I represent, I can tell the Deputy there is no reason in the world one could not have temporary workers instead of agency workers. First, it is cheaper. Second, they do not accrue permanent employment rights for four years. If one cannot get it right in four years, one is struggling.

I agree that a centralised system has not worked out. We would be great advocates of the six regional authorities with a scaled-down HSE so long as those authorities do not become hospital dominated. If they become hospital dominated, what will happen is one will have the same problem in six different areas. It must be integrated. It has to be.

The committee will hear a bit of honesty here. I do not know how many doctors in the system coming through university are not getting jobs but it would seem that the supply system is not great either.