Maurice Cummins (Fine Gael)

A report in today's Irish Independent indicates that hospital consultants in many hospitals are not treating the required number of public patients, with some consultants operating a case load that consists of up to 80% private patients. Consultants are paid large salaries in respect of which it took a long time for contracts to be agreed. Who is responsible for ensuring they do the job they are paid to do according to their contracts? Is it the hospital manager, the Minister for Health and Children or the Health Service Executive? Is it proposed that the situation be allowed to continue as it is? The Minister must come into the House to provide some answers in this regard. It was she who spoke about the improvements for public patients that would flow from agreement on a new consultant contract. Recent reports clearly show that has not happened.

The same newspaper includes a report on yesterday's meeting of the Joint Committee on the Constitution, at which the Minister for Transport, Deputy Dempsey, proposed the abolition of county and borough councils throughout the State. Is this one of the Minister's kites - another of the faux pas he makes from time to time - or is it Fianna Fáil and Government policy? The Leader may be well qualified to answer that question.