Micheál Martin (Cork South Central, Fianna Fail)
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381. To ask the Minister for Health his views on the changes on consultant contracts that have occurred in 2016; the number of consultants that have changed from contract A to B and from B to C; his further views on any impact on the services provided to public patients; if an assessment is being done on the loss of income to the public hospitals as a result of consultant contract changes; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [40864/16]

Simon Harris (Wicklow, Fine Gael)
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The functions of Comhairle na nOspidéal, established under the Health Act of 1970, in relation to regulating the number and type of consultant posts, were transferred to the HSE when it was established. These functions, together with medical education and training and medical workforce planning, are now centralised in National Doctors Training and Planning (NDTP) in the HSE.

In the period from 31 December 2015 to 30 September 2016, the consultant establishment increased from 2,891 to 2,980 across all contract types. This reflected the processing of applications made to the Consultants Division within the NDTP, the provisions of the Consultant Contract 2008 that provide for consultants to apply for changes in contract type, and the process for approving posts or reclassifying them as Type C posts. The number of Type A Contracts increased from 532 to 547; the number of Type B Contracts increased from 1,626 to 1,684; and the number of Type C Contracts increased from 82 to 106. The increase in consultant numbers across contract types should not result in a loss of income to the public hospitals.

I have asked the HSE to respond to the Deputy directly on the numbers of consultants that have changed from contract A to B and from B to C.