James Reilly (Dublin North, Fine Gael)
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Question 333: To ask the Minister for Health and Children the person who carried out the review of recruitment procedures for locum consultants as announced in Dáil Éireann on 13 June 2000; the date the review was completed; the recommendations made by the review; if the recommendations have been implemented; if she will make a copy of the review available; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [34563/07]

Mary Harney (Dublin Mid West, Progressive Democrats)
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Recruitment procedures for the appointment of locum consultants were the subject of review between the Department and the health service bodies during the period 2000 and 2002. In June 2000 the then Minister for Health and Children, Mr Micheál Martin, T.D. announced the establishment of a Working Group to consider recruitment procedures for locum consultants arising from the case of a locum Consultant Pathologist at Tralee, Sligo and Letterkenny General Hospitals.

The work of this group appears to have been superseded arising from the case of the employment of a UK based Consultant Psychiatrist to a locum psychiatrist position with the former South Eastern Health Board (SEHB), between April and November 2000, while he was suspended by the General Medical Council (GMC) in the United Kingdom and was consequently the subject of legal proceedings by the Medical Council in Ireland. In 2001 at the request of the then Minister for Health and Children, Mr Micheál Martin, T.D., Ms Maureen Lynott carried out a review of the circumstances surrounding this case and to consider how procedures and/or regulations may need to be improved.

Ms Lynott's report was the subject of follow-up action with relevant health agencies which included consideration of her report by an inter agency health care forum. All matters relating to the recruitment, assessment of qualifications and experience, competence, termination of employment etc. of locums are the responsibility of the employing authority.