Michael Healy-Rae (Kerry South, Independent)
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Question 595: To ask the Minister for Health the reason he is continuing to employ more outside consultants to deal with the hospital waiting list problem; if it would make more sense to hire more nurses, particularly Irish nurses who have trained, are highly skilled and want to work in their own country; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [28119/12]

James Reilly (Dublin North, Fine Gael)
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My Department has a small number of Performance Improved Specialists within the Special Delivery Unit. Whilst every effort is made to draw on the relevant expertise of these individuals and other staff working within the health service, including nurses, there are occasions when specialist external technical advice and expertise is required in order to assist in the delivery of performance improvement measures or other specific projects.

Every effort is made to keep this at a minimum and to ensure that value for money is achieved. Provision is also made to ensure that the appropriate knowledge transfer takes place so that improvements can be sustained without recourse to further external consultants.