Mary Harney (Dublin Mid West, Progressive Democrats)

I propose to take Questions Nos. 85 and 148 together.

Negotiations between health service employers and the Irish Hospital Consultants Association, IHCA, on new contractual arrangements for medical consultants came to a successful conclusion on 24 January 2008. While the Irish Medical Organisation, IMO, withdrew from the talks on 22 January 2008, it engaged in subsequent dialogue with Mr. Connaughton, who had facilitated the agreement. Mr. Connaughton issued a final document on 1 February 2008 setting out the agreed position and his recommendations on a number of issues.

All parties agreed that Mr. Connaughton be invited to draft the formal employment contract and that a composite document summarising the key elements of the agreement be prepared and forwarded to him at the earliest opportunity. It was clearly understood — and agreed — by the employers, the IMO and the IHCA that this document would be a summary of the agreement rather than a formal contract.

On 22 February, a revised composite document, based on the various documents and recommendations issued by Mr. Connaughton during the course of the negotiations, was circulated to the IHCA and IMO. The national council of the IHCA considered this document on 23 February but deferred a decision on it until the end of March. We are satisfied that the document reflected the main areas of agreement under various headings. However, there is ongoing contact between the parties to clarify certain aspects.

As far as health service employers are concerned, the only substantive issue outstanding is the rate of salary applicable to academic consultants who sign up to the new contractual arrangements. This is the subject of ongoing contact between the sides. In the meantime, we need to proceed with the process of recruiting new consultants. I have already engaged in discussions with the HSE in this regard. The delay in filling posts in critical areas such as cancer care, neurology, rheumatology, respiratory care and mental health is having a detrimental effect on the development of much-needed services.

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