Martin Cullen
Question:39 Mr. Cullen asked the Minister for Health the plans, if any, he has to cut the training time of Irish consultants in half in line with the recent Calman report which is to be implemented in the UK.
Written Answers - Consultants' Training.
Peadar Clohessy
Question:43 Mr. Clohessy asked the Minister for Health the plans, if any, he has to cut the training time of Irish consultants in half in line with the recent Calman report which is to be implemented in the UK.
Bernard Allen
Question:159 Mr. Allen asked the Minister for Health if he will make a statement on the British Government's Calman report; if he has assessed the problems it may pose for the health services in this country; and if he will set about implementing some of the proposals of the Tierney report, specifically the abolition of the pyramid system which has affected the future position of those who have completed their specialist training but for whom there are no consultant posts available.
Liz McManus
Question:168 Ms McManus asked the Minister for Health if he will deal with the anomaly that exists whereby the number of non-EU doctors working in Ireland has increased substantially while at the same time considerable resources are being spent on training Irish students to become doctors; and if he will make a statement on the matter.
I propose to take Questions Nos. 39, 43, 159 and 168 together.
The issues raised by the Deputies are among the issues being considered by a collaborative study group which is examining the distribution of medical manpower in acute hospitals and which includes representatives of my Department, Comhairle na nOspidéal and the Postgraduate Medical and Dental Board. The group's report has been circulated as a discussion document to all agencies with an interest in the subject and a large number of detailed responses have been received.
I have now asked the group to examine these responses and to make further recommendations. I intend to await receipt of these recommendations before deciding on any particular course of action.