Sir, – Niall Ó Cléirigh (July 31st), declares that he does not understand why Irish consultants are going to get a pay increase despite the OECD reporting that they are the best paid in the world. The 2013 OECD figures refer to average pay per specialist. Of the more than 2,500 consultants in this group, only a handful are new consultants, with the most recent terms and conditions. Their numbers are so low due to the unattractiveness of their contract and their pay levels have negligible effect on the overall average. It is these new doctors who will benefit from a staged, partial reversal of the recent pay reductions. I hope that this is clear. – Yours, etc,
DR WILLIAM BEHAN,
General Practitioner,
Cromwellsfort Road,
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Dublin 12