John Brassil (Kerry, Fianna Fail) | Oireachtas source

I thank the Minister of State for her response. I am knocked for six by the line that the advertisement of these posts can commence immediately. That is beyond belief. On 28 June last year, in response to a parliamentary question on the very same issue, I was told the replacement process commenced as soon as the official resignation was received from the previous cardiologist. The response further stated that UHK was working with the South/South West hospital regional cardiology group to appoint two additional consultant cardiologists split between UHK and CUH. Here we are ten months later, and I am told that the posts have not even been advertised yet. It is farcical. I do not know if the HSE gives us these replies and thinks we will forget about them and not refer back to previous answers when it comes up with this drivel. It is unacceptable to have told me almost a year ago that two consultants were to be appointed when here we are today and the posts have not been advertised yet.

I was about to speak about the fact that there is a 25% pay deficit between pre-2012 and current consultant contracts. If the HSE is looking for 450 posts, how in the name of God is it going to fill them when there is a 25% pay gap between two people who are doing the same job? I will not go into that now. The response leaves me beyond words but I will take this issue much further. The lack of respect and action is totally unacceptable. This is a 24-7 hospital operating without a cardiologist. What world are we living in?

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