Dáil Éireann díospóireacht -
Thursday, 30 Apr 1998

Vol. 490 No. 4

Written Answers. - Health Services Staff.

Thomas P. Broughan

Ceist:

30 Mr. Broughan asked the Minister for Health and Children if, in relation to the expert group set up to examine recruitment, retention, training and education requirements of staff in the health services, he will report on the composition of this group and the work done to date; and when its final report is due to be completed. [10268/98]

Minister for Health and Children (Mr. Cowen)

I presume that the Deputy is referring to the expert groups which have been set up by the Health Service Employers Agency and IMPACT under the Programme for Competitiveness and Work and in accordance with Labour Court recommendation 15515. The composition of the groups is set out in the tabular statement below. Three separate groups have been established, covering ten paramedical grades, medical laboratory technicians/technologists and radiographers.

Group	Chairman	Employer Representative	Employee Representative
Paramedical	John O'Connell, former Chairman of Labour Court	Alan Smith, Office for Health Management	Peter McLoone, IMPACT
Medical Laboratory Technicians-Technologists	John O'Connell, former Chairman of Labour Court	Gerard O'Dwyer, Cork University Hospital	John Brady, Our Lady's Hospital Crumlin
Radiographers	John O'Connell, former Chairman of Labour Court	Gerard O'Dwyer, Cork University Hospital	Joy Riordan, Mater Hospital

I understand that the work of all groups is well under way. Oral hearings on submissions made for the medical laboratory technicians and radiographers groups have already commenced and the paramedical group will hold its first oral hearing next week.

While it is a matter for expert groups to determine their own schedules, I anticipate that they will report to the parties concerned by the end of 1998.