Brian Lenihan Jnr (Dublin West, Fianna Fail)

It is being addressed indirectly. If one has a unified health executive examining the issues, the possibility of devising an integrated approach to this problem is far greater than under the present arrangement with a multiplicity of health authorities. There is no doubt, therefore, that a single authority will identify far more quickly than at present where are the gaps and bottlenecks in professional qualifications, and how they can be addressed.

We are digressing from the section, however. I am not saying that the section gives the executive direct power to deal with that but there is no doubt that its establishment will make the executive an indirect influence in securing that objective.