asked the Minister for Health the reason he has not implemented the report of the working party of a national common contract for hospital consultants.
Ceisteanna—Questions. Oral Answers. - Hospital Consultants' Common Contract.
23.
The reason I have not yet implemented the report of the working party on a common contract for consultants is that all the parties to the contract have not yet indicated their acceptance of it. I have, however, announced that the common contract will be implemented as from 1 April 1981 in the case of health boards and such other hospital authorities as agree to accept it. The time span will allow for the making of the necessary transitional administrative and other arrangements and for continuing discussions with those parties who have not yet signified their acceptance of the new provisions with a view to giving such clarifications and undertakings as may be necessary.
The rules do not appear to include the ethical behaviour regulations laid down by the Roman Catholic Archbishop of Dublin. Is that the reason why this condition, which was laid down by six of the Dublin voluntary hospitals, has not so far been implemented?
The original working party included an ethical aspect in the contract which was open to the parties to the contract to discuss and include at the time of the signing of the contract. A number of Dublin hospitals have sought clarification of this ethical aspect of the contract and these discussions are proceeding at present. I would hope that it would be possible to reach a successful conclusion to these discussions.
The Minister states that he intends to implement the regulations by a particular date. Does he intend to include these ethical regulations as laid down by the Catholic Archbishop and will they be enforced on persons who are not Catholics and happen to be non-Catholic members of the consultant staff?
The hospitals in question are represented by the managements who are party to the contract and——
We are paying the piper.
——the contract would have to be an agreed contract between the partners. I have indicated that it is our intention to go ahead with the common contract from 1 April next and that in relation to the ethical aspect, which was covered in the working party's report in any event, any clarification required there could be given and discussed, and this matter has been discussed between the organisations.
Ceist a 24.
Does the Minister——
Ceist a 24.
This is a most important question, Sir. Does the Minister intend to include——
Ceist a 24.