Vol. 549 No. 1
173 Mr. Durkan asked the Minister for Health and Children the degree to which the various consultancy posts in hospitals throughout the country are filled on a permanent or temporary basis; his plans to address shortages or improvements; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [6108/02]
There are currently 1,636 permanent consultant posts in the public sector approved by the Department of Health and Children and Comhairle na nOspidéal. Of these, 196 have been approved since January 2000 and have or are in the process of being filled. With regard to temporary consultant posts, there are 138 posts pending the filling of approved permanent posts, 49 locum posts where the permanent post holder is on leave, that is sick leave, maternity leave, career break and so forth, and 84 additional temporary posts created for a specific purpose, such as waiting list initiative, winter initiative, and so forth.
The Government approved the establishment of a national task force on medical staffing. It will prepare a detailed implementation programme based on the recommendations in the reports of the medical manpower forum and of the national joint steering group on the working hours of non-consultant hospital doctors. The inaugural meeting of the task force will take place tomorrow.
Question No. 174 answered with Question No. 39.
