Bertie Ahern (Dublin Central, Fianna Fail)

Sorry, a Cheann Comhairle, it is important. We want to engage with the staff and come to agreements where the length of the working day or the shift system will work so we can read the pathology lists and other lists and deal with these issues. However, we need the co-operation of the staff and staff associations to do that. I made a particular point of this in the negotiations. Also we want to make progress with the doctors and the common contract. I understand the consultants are anxious to help us improve the health service. Hopefully, during the summer they will make the necessary moves to help us. We cannot do it without them. They can, of course, take a belligerent view and not help us but that would not help the patient. We are also making progress with general practitioners. I hope we can continue with these reforms but we cannot do it on our own; we need the staff associations to work with us.

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