Leo Varadkar (Dublin West, Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

We have taken on more new consultants in the first half of this year than were taken on in the whole of 2014. Following an extensive and robust consultant recruitment campaign, up to 130 additional consultants are expected to be appointed in the current year. I remind the Deputy that his party has promised 40. I expect that the improved pay scales for new entrant consultants agreed with the IMO at the start of the year will help us to keep more medical graduates at home and persuade consultants working overseas to return to Ireland.

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