Public-only contract breaches 'beyond Rotunda' - Soc Dems

Public-only contract breaches 'beyond Rotunda' - Cian O'Callaghan

Updated / Tuesday, 16 Jun 2026 15:56

Deputy leader of the Social Democrats Cian O'Callaghan said whistleblowers had come to his party's health spokesperson

There is an emerging pattern around the country of breaches of the public-only consultant contract, the Dáil has heard.

Social Democrats Deputy Leader Cian O'Callaghan was speaking after the furore around public consultants carrying out private work at the Rotunda Hospital , with the Dublin Bay North TD noting how "this is clearly an issue beyond the Rotunda".

It comes after a HSE internal audit on the implementation of the Public Only Consultant Contract (POCC) found there has been inadequate oversight and management of the phased elimination of private work in public hospitals.

The audit, dated March 2026, said there was inadequate oversight of increased rostering of consultants at weekends and evenings, which the contract provides for to improve the provision of public care.

Speaking in the Dáil during Leaders Questions this afternoon, Mr O'Callaghan said whistleblowers had come to his party's health spokesperson Padraig Rice to identify concerns in Cork and Galway.

Watch: Cian O'Callaghan said there is an emerging pattern of breaches of public-only contracts

Citing a report in Saturday's Irish Independent that obstetricians in the Rotunda who can still do private practice are "gifting" up to €1,500 to colleagues on public-only contracts who deliver the baby of one of their private patients at weekends, Deputy Rice said a similar practice is also present at Cork University Maternity Hospital.

"It takes place at weekends because of the way CUMH and the Rotunda operates their rosters," he claimed.

Deputy O'Callaghan also highlighted concerns at University Hospital Galway.

"The hospital has a deal in place to do lab work for a private hospital. Consultants on public-only contracts are being asked by the hospital to do lab work for private patients.

"While many consultants on public-only contracts are refusing to do this, it is nonetheless leading to big delays in the processing of samples for public patients," he said.

Deputy O'Callaghan added: "This includes public patients with cancer. An early cancer diagnosis can save a life. Delayed diagnosis can be fatal. Delays are so bad at the hospital, it is outsourcing some lab work for public and private patients to commercially run labs. This is at enormous expense to the public purse."

The Taoiseach demurred from commenting specifically on the situations in Cork and Galway, as he sought clarification as to whether the whistleblowers at both facilities had approached the Social Democrats solely or provided a protected disclosure to the HSE under whistleblower legislation.

Mr Martin said he was not aware of the situation reported at the weekend in relation to "gifts" at the Rotunda, but added "Revenue is independent, but I'm sure Revenue read the article as you read it and I read it, and it's a matter for Revenue to deal with some of the issues that arise".

Mr Martin said the Government "will not tolerate any variation to the contracts that people have signed up to", adding that the Minister for Health Jennifer Carroll MacNeill "is very strong on this".