Brian Cowen (Laois-Offaly, Fianna Fail)

On the next aspect of his question, what happened is that the Minister, Deputy Harney, met with the chief executive officer of Tallaght hospital, who had been appointed to that post the previous day, and others in regard to an issue about the Coombe Hospital and how it would be dealt with in terms of how that hospital would be involved with Tallaght hospital in the future. At the end of that meeting the Minister wished the chief executive officer, who was previously medical director at the hospital, well in his post. He mentioned that there was an issue in the radiology department which he intended to get to the bottom of and deal with. Professor Conlon has the Minister's confidence and he proceeded with putting in place measures, in line with the protocols that were established post-Portlaoise, to deal with the background that had been identified in the radiology department. Nothing has been done since that would not have been done or should not have been done.

The Health Information and Quality Authority accepts that the response in the hospital to the backlog is appropriate and that the numbers of x-rays being read - of the order of 3,000 to 4,000 per week - by the extra consultant radiologists who have been employed there is exceptional and appropriate. To answer the Deputy's question directly, if the present rate of progress continues, it is expected to have this process completed by May 2010. In the meantime, as a result of this matter now coming into the public domain in the way it has, and before the clinical review has been completed, HIQA is having a discussion today with Tallaght hospital management to see how the process can be further accelerated if possible in an effort to assuage people's concerns.

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