Mary Harney (Dublin Mid West, Progressive Democrats)

As the Deputy knows, we have approximately 50% of the consultants we need and we will double that. We have advertised for 128 new consultants so that we will have consultant-delivered services. The arrangements will not be made centrally, but will be made on the ground at each hospital. The private provider will be responsible for the employment of all the staff to run the private facility. There will be no liability whatever on the taxpayers in that regard. There may well be people who will only work in the private facility. However, many of the doctors in hospitals such as St. James's and Beaumont will be people employed to work in the public hospital and will do their private work, which they are entitled to do if they opt for two of the contracts, in the private facility on site or in some cases under the existing category 2 contracts they can do that work off-site. We have three different contracts of employment for consultants. The ones who do full-time public work will only work in the public hospital. They clearly will not get any fees in addition to their full-time salaries. Therefore, the issue of working in the private facility does not arise in their case.

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