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

There was some controversy at least. I do not think it would be a huge imposition on our hospital consultants to clock in so that we at least know they are on the premises and are not in private hospitals when they should not be.

We are doing exactly what was recommended in the Sláintecare report. We have established a group under Donal de Buitléir to examine how we can separate and take private practice out of public hospitals, what it would cost, what the implications would be and how it would be done over a period of years. That is the fundamental action in terms of long-term reform. In the interim, for people waiting for cataract operations and hip and knee operations, we are giving additional funding to the NTPF to allow those patients to go privately. The NTPF does not just fund private hospitals. It also does insourcing as well in places such as the Eye and Ear Hospital, for example, and Cappagh. The number of people waiting for inpatient and day case procedures has fallen for three months in a row because of that. I will drive that forward and make sure it continues to fall throughout next year.

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