Billy Kelleher (Cork North Central, Fianna Fail)
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Question 837: To ask the Minister for Health if his attention has been drawn to the number of hospital consultants who are in breach of their 2008 contract for each of 80:20 mix, weekend cover, and rostering; if these consultants have been notified of the consequences of breaches; his plans to address these breaches; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [26248/12]

Billy Kelleher (Cork North Central, Fianna Fail)
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Question 838: To ask the Minister for Health his powers to enforce the 2008 consultants contract; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [26249/12]

Billy Kelleher (Cork North Central, Fianna Fail)
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Question 877: To ask the Minister for Health if he will outline in full what he hopes to achieve from the current discussions with the consultant groups; the way this will differ to what was already agreed in the Croke Park Agreement in 2010 and also as part of the 2008 consultant contract; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [26551/12]

Billy Kelleher (Cork North Central, Fianna Fail)
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Question 878: To ask the Minister for Health if he is committed to ensuring that consultants are rostered on a seven day week as opposed to a five day week; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [26552/12]

James Reilly (Dublin North, Fine Gael)
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I propose to take Questions Nos. 837, 838, 877 and 878 together.

While there have been increases in productivity on foot of the Programme for Government and the 2008 Consultant Contract, one of my immediate priorities is to achieve more effective implementation of the 2008 Contract so that patients get faster access to services and achieve better outcomes within the budgets available to hospitals. I believe there is plenty of scope under the existing contract and the Croke Park agreement to achieve greater productivity increases from consultants than have been achieved to date.

Bilateral discussions with the consultant representative bodies commenced on 16 May 2012. This process is to be focussed on the achievement of worthwhile and measurable change and must be concluded within a reasonable period, in line with the provisions of the Public Service Agreement 2010-2014. Consultants' hours, times of duty and public/private mix are among the matters on which health service management have tabled proposals.

Consultant Contract 2008 limits private practice for newly-appointed consultants on a Type B or C contract to 20% of activity. The upper limit for consultants who held a contract prior to 2008 is 30%.

The HSE has put in place arrangements to measure consultants' private practice and has engaged with the medical unions and individual consultants to pursue the issue of compliance, with a particular focus on consultants who are significantly in breach of their permitted ratio. Currently 49 consultants have been identified as being in excess of the ratio specified in their contract and hospital management are engaged with the consultants, in line with the terms of the contract, to secure compliance.