asked the Minister for Health the total number of consultants in all specialities attached to Irish hospitals.
Ceisteanna—Questions. Oral Answers. - Hospital Consultants.
20.
There are approximately 820 consultants in all specialities attached to Irish hospitals.
On that basis, taking the £1.8 million which the Minister has estimated or, to use his own words, "guesstimated", to be the cost——
I have never used that word in my life.
The Minister said the estimate was purely guesswork.
I did not say "guesstimated".
No, but the Minister did say that it was purely guesswork.
All estimates are. That is why they are called estimates.
Some are more informed than others. If there are 280 consultants and the cost to the Exchequer is £1.8 million, on a rough calculation, it would mean that in remuneration alone each consultant would get only £2,250 per annum——
Is the Deputy asking a question?
I am. I am asking how the Minister believes the proposed extension of the health services can be paid for by the amount of money he estimates for it. If there are 820 consultants and the estimated cost is £1.8 million, it would mean approximately £2,250 for each consultant and that is remuneration alone without any of the additional expenses that would be involved.
The Deputy is making a very long statement.
I am not prepared to reply to Deputy O'Malley's question, first, because he did not ask for the information and, secondly, because I will not give any more detailed figures until negotiations with the consultants have been concluded.
Have negotiations with the consultants started?
On this matter, not yet.
When is it intended to start them?
As soon as possible.
The question deals with the number of consultants and nothing else.
The consultants are concerned because they think time is running out. Could the Minister give me a date as to when the consultations are likely to start?
That is a separate question.
I could not give the date because it must be a mutually accepted date by the various bodies concerned.
There is a consideration——
I would remind the Deputy this is Question Time.
I am going to put a question. Deputy O'Malley should get acquainted with the working of the health boards. He knows nothing about them.
That is quite irrelevant.