Mary Harney (Dublin Mid West, Progressive Democrats)

I agree with the Deputy that the key decision-maker in the accident and emergency department is the consultant, but there are only 52 such consultants. It is no fault of the consultant that we cannot provide cover for longer and until we recruit more consultants on a new contract. The HSE procured some diagnostic services for general practitioners in Dublin last year at the Charter Medical Centre and perhaps others. I want to see this project area expand in order that there will be no necessity to refer through accident and emergency departments or to the acute system for a general practitioner to access appropriate diagnostics. I hope we will see more progress on the issue next year.

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