Madam, - Eight senior surgical registrars in the Mater Misericordiae University Hospital assert in their letter of April 26th that "these newly advertised posts will be attractive to second-rate trainees who know that under normal circumstances they would be unable to compete".
How do these registrars know that first-rate surgeons and physicians, (possibly including former Mater senior surgical registrars) in senior posts in Britain and further afield will not apply for the advertised posts? Are the registrars suggesting that second-rate trainees who have the temerity to apply for these posts will be interviewed by consultants prepared to compromise their integrity by recommending the first batch of "inferior" consultants for a contract?
I trust that the registrars' medical knowledge is more factually based than their knowledge of the regulations and protocol for the appointment of hospital consultants appears to be. - Yours, etc,
BRENDA WHEELER, Crannagh Road, Rathfarnham, Dublin 14.
Madam, - So, Dr Josh Keaveny did not call proposed salaries "Mickey Mouse money" (Letters, April 21st). Another case of media misreporting. But the onslaught on consultants' earnings goes on.
It was interesting, then, to read in your Business pages of April 20th that the CEO of Irish Life & Permanent earned €1.3 million in 2006; the group finance director earned €788,000; the CEO of Permanent TSB earned €602,000, etc. What comparable contribution have these people made to society?
I have reason to be grateful to two consultants, whose prompt action most certainly saved my life. What price a human life? Considering the hours and the work they put into both public and private practice, they are worth every cent they can get. - Yours, etc,
ZIVKO JAKSIC, Hermitage Lawn, Rathfarnham, Dublin 16.
Madam, - There is an element of déja vu in the disagreement between the Minister and the medical profession. A courageous Minister, Dr Noel Browne, took on the establishment in 1951 but was beaten into resignation. I quote from his autobiography, Against the Tide, published in 1986.
"Time and again through recent history the medical profession has successfully resisted a fair and even distribution of their services all through the community. One of the results of the fee-for-service medical practice system here has been an enormous growth in the cost of the health services without a significant increase in their efficiency." - Yours, etc,
BRENDAN GARVAN, Upper Rathmines Road, Dublin 6.