Caoimhghín Ó Caoláin (Cavan-Monaghan, Sinn Fein) | Oireachtas source

In the context of this question, have potential conflicts of interest been identified or investigated, to the Minister's knowledge? Does he agree that a system where such referrals are allowed is open to abuse and presents a potential conflict of interest, at the very least? Given that practitioners are being paid in these instances a second time for work they are already contracted to do and handsomely paid to carry it out, does the Minister not believe a very serious scrutiny of the practice is required, if he has not already embarked on such? In case he is not aware, I refer him to a parliamentary question for witten reply which I submitted earlier this week which draws his attention to the fact - I repeat it is a fact - that this double jobbing, double pay abuse, is not confined to front-line practitioners within hospital services but applies also, apparently, to some managers and directors of services at hospitals and other settings within the HSE. Will he act to root out all such potential conflicts of interest across the health service?

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