Vol. 522 No. 3
66 Proinsias De Rossa asked the Minister for Health and Children when the Medical Manpower Forum was established; the number of meetings of the forum held to date; the reason it has not yet produced a report; when he now expects to receive the report; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [18535/00]
The Medical Manpower Forum was established in May 1998 and has met on 12 occasions. The forum has been endeavouring to reach a consensus on the issues involved. At this time the main service, training, research and career issues, and the principles and approaches to be adopted, have, to a large measure, been agreed by the Medical Manpower Forum. It has also been agreed that the introduction of these changes should coincide with an extension of the core hospital working day. This is necessary if one of the key principles of the forum is to be achieved, that is, the need to provide the highest quality of medical care for those who require the services of hospitals. The Medical Manpower Forum is due to finalise its first report shortly.
