James Reilly (Dublin North, Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

As the Deputy points out, I share his concern and it is something I am determined to address. I am looking to NCHDs themselves in respect of the work being done by Professor MacCraith. I want to provide a safe place for them to speak.

They are afraid to speak out because they will not get a good reference towards their next job. That goes on, and it is wrong.

I refer to pay rates. Let us be honest and straight about this and let me put this point on the record of the House today. I have been challenged for not tackling consultants' pay. We have tackled it. We have reduced the starting pay by 30% - it is now €116,000 to €121,000 per year. Some would say this will mean consultants will not stay in this country and will go elsewhere because we are paying less than the other English-speaking countries to which the Deputy alluded. The nearest English-speaking country to us is across the water, in Britain, and the other jurisdiction, in Northern Ireland. There the starting pay for a consultant is £80,000, or approximately €100,000. The pay is quite appropriate. If we constantly choose to compare people's pay in this country to that in the wealthiest countries in the world where the best people are, we will never get anywhere. Our country has a financial constraint; the money we are spending on our public service is borrowed and comes with terms and conditions. There is a new milieu and sadly we must all live in it for some time to come.

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