Brian Cowen (Laois-Offaly, Fianna Fail)

The Deputy's questions are detailed ones about the contents of reports, which may be better put to the line Ministers concerned. I do not have a detailed knowledge of all the reports referred to. However, I will make the general point that the purpose of the change in the consultants' contract is to ensure that the availability of consultant staff is properly monitored and that the service is consultant-provided rather than consultant-led. This means that people are entitled to see their consultants, regardless of whether they are public or private patients, on the basis of medical need. The changes in the contract were to ensure those contractual commitments were adhered to.

I commend the work done by the National Economic and Social Forum, which for many years was a good collaborative and participative forum under the chairmanship of Maureen Gaffney. It covered a whole range of social policy as well as economic areas. Many of its reports served a purpose in terms of providing a voice for those who are members of the forum and also, as part of the social partnership process, feeding into policy formulation and the various strands that exist in this regard. I cannot be more specific than that. Questions about the recommendations of specific reports should be forwarded to the line Ministers concerned.

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