Hospital consultants and pay

Sir, – Given the recent OECD report findings ("Hospital consultants among best-paid in world", Front Page, July 1st) that the average annual reimbursement for public work paid to consultants is €171,000, why is the Government surprised that newly qualified consultant posts remain empty with a "new entrant" salary of less than 60 per cent of this figure?

Does it honestly expect them to work longer hours, more weekends, on totally different terms and conditions, trying to rearrange trolleys on the ship of gargantuan dysfunctionality that is the HSE, while their so-called senior colleagues may add private income to their already much greater salaries? – Yours, etc,

Dr PAUL MacMAULLAN,

Castleknock Manor,

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Dublin 15.