Ceisteanna ó Cheannairí - Leaders' Questions
Dail Éireann — 2026-06-25
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Simon Harris (FG), Wicklow

I fully agree with the Deputy. Let me be clear that the HSE has confirmed that any additional payments to consultants on that public-only consultant contract, POCC, contract relating to the service level agreement ceased at the start of the year. There are some consultants who do not work on a public-only consultant contract. It is important in winding down a long-standing arrangement and an agreement that that is done in a safe manner and that is the intention. However, it is ending because we are pursuing Sláintecare. We are pursuing the public-only consultant contract. We are creating a public health service. The Minister for Health does not have responsibility for private health. She has a responsibility for delivering a world-class public health service. That is what we all want to do.
There is a number of activities under way. We have had the HSE audit from the last year. We have had the Minister putting in her own regional structure, engaging on a three-monthly basis in terms of each region over and over again, and the progress we are making as well. The Minister has also asked everyone in this House for their support.
She is working in partnership with the committee, which is a formidable combination and that needs to continue. I and the Taoiseach fully support these efforts, as does all of Government, and we look forward to meeting with the regional clinical directors too.
On a positive note, we have seen benefits with the public-only consultant contract already, whether that is the cardiology clinics on a Saturday and Sunday in Connolly Hospital, a Saturday hub in St. Vincent's hospital, weekend consultant cover in Wexford General Hospital, a minimum of 26 consultants now rostered at weekends in University Hospital Waterford, and the progress in Kerry, St. James's and Mullingar hospitals. We are seeing the benefits. This is a reform agenda. It is one the Minister, Deputy Carroll MacNeill, is going to drive and it will make a big difference. We want to work in support with everybody across this House to get to where we need to.

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Record URI: https://data.oireachtas.ie/akn/ie/debateRecord/dail/2026-06-25/debate/main
Retrieved: 2026-08-27T06:54:51+00:00
Sitting date: 2026-06-25