Jennifer Carroll MacNeill (Dún Laoghaire, Fine Gael)

That seems perfectly reasonable and that is what I would do too. As the Deputy has saved me the background, I will save her reading out all of the trolley figures. I will highlight that unless Galway hospital, and the west and north west generally, start to routinely roster consultants on the public-only consultant contract at the weekends, they will continue to have the trolley difficulties they have had. It is very important. A total of 73% of University Hospital Galway's consultants have taken up the public-only consultant contract but the hospital was not able to confirm to me, at an important meeting on this on 11 September, the percentage of those who are routinely working extended days and at weekends.

I will be meeting the team again in January and I expect it will have an update for me on their weekend rostering. To the extent the Deputy can help me maintain that pressure, nothing will change in Galway with trolleys or across the west and north west until consultants are routinely rostered at weekends, as is happening in other hospitals.

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