Louise O'Reilly (Dublin Fingal, Sinn Fein)
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153. To ask the Minister for Health if he will address matters relating to the sufficient number of specialist registered consultants (details supplied). [20965/19]

Louise O'Reilly (Dublin Fingal, Sinn Fein)
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156. To ask the Minister for Health if staffing in the children's hospitals in Crumlin, Temple Street and Tallaght will not be compromised to facilitate the running of the satellite Blanchardstown urgent care centre in circumstances in which recruitment is insufficient or incomplete. [20968/19]

Simon Harris (Wicklow, Fine Gael)
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I propose to take Questions Nos. 153 and 156 together.

As the recruitment of staff is a service matter, I have asked the HSE to respond to you directly, as soon as possible.

Louise O'Reilly (Dublin Fingal, Sinn Fein)
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154. To ask the Minister for Health the number of eligible specialist applications received for each advertised but unfilled consultant post; and the number of eligible candidates interviewed for each unfilled post [20966/19]

Simon Harris (Wicklow, Fine Gael)
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I have asked the HSE to respond directly to the Deputy on this matter.

Louise O'Reilly (Dublin Fingal, Sinn Fein)
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155. To ask the Minister for Health the reason these is an insufficient number of eligible applications for approved permanent consultant posts in Children's Health Ireland, CHI; and the reason he has not restored pay parity for new entrant consultants as recommended in the Public Service Pay Commission report published in August 2018 in view of the fact that this is one of the main factors that is driving the required specialists abroad. [20967/19]

Simon Harris (Wicklow, Fine Gael)
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The Public Service Pay Commission proposed that the Parties to the Public Service Stability Agreement jointly consider what further measures could be taken, over time, beyond the incremental credit adjustments, to address the pay differential between pre-existing consultants and new entrant consultants which has increased following the settlement of the 2008 Consultant Contract claim.

Last month, the Department of Public Expenditure and Reform stated that outstanding matters relating to new entrant pay will be given full consideration either by any pay review mechanism agreed by the relevant parties; or in the context of the next round of pay talks. My Department has been in contact with the Department of Public Expenditure and Reform in relation to this.

I have asked the HSE to reply directly to the Deputy in relation to posts in CHI.