Dáil Éireann debate -
Wednesday, 27 Jan 1999

Vol. 499 No. 1

Written Answers. - Consultant Appointments.

Ivor Callely

Question:

574 Mr. Callely asked the Minister for Health and Children the number of consultants in the hospital system to serve the Dublin area in 1999; the number of posts vacant or filled temporarily; the comparable figure for the years 1979 and 1989; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [1648/99]

Minister for Health and Children (Mr. Cowen)

Comhairle na nOspidéal is the statutory body with responsibility to regulate the number and type of consultant appointments in hospitals providing services under the Health Act, 1970.

The information requested by the Deputy and maintained by Comhairle is available on a regional basis. The figures below are for the Eastern Health Board region. I should however point out that there are quite a number of national specialties located in the Eastern Health Board region which serve the country.

The information supplied by Comhairle na nOspidéal is as follows:

	Filled Posts (WTE)	Approved Posts (WTE)(Vacant or filled by locum)	Total Posts (WTE)
1-1-99	585	81	666
1-5-89	497	29	526
1-5-79*	469	56	525

*The 1979 figure is the actual number of consultants as opposed to the number of consultant posts or wholetime equivalence – WTE. It therefore overstates the number of posts – WTE – as some consultants would not work on a wholetime basis. The information collected in 1979 did not include wholetime equivalence.