Mary O'Rourke (Fianna Fail)

I will not be provoked. Senator Henry asked about the medical practitioners Bill. The urgent date now mooted seems to be mid-2006, which is not much comfort to the Senator.

Senator Mansergh requested a debate on the competency within the public service and the use of outside consultancies. I do not know how all of that could be managed in a debate but it is a useful suggestion which was also taken up by Senator Maurice Hayes.

Senator Coghlan said employing consultancies is too habit-forming. There is a case for considering this. Within Departments people might say they do not have the capacity to deal with an obtuse topic and send for Deloitte & Touche or whoever. This echoes Senator Maurice Hayes' point about the lack of capacity to deal with an issue. The consultants will be somewhat wary of tendering for those contracts for fear they will be criticised in the Dáil and Seanad.