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Dáil Éireann debate -
Thursday, 18 Oct 2001

Vol. 542 No. 4

Written Answers. - Defence Forces Medical Personnel.

Emmet Stagg

Question:

14 Mr. Stagg asked the Minister for Defence the number of doctors and nurses attached to the Defence Forces for each of the past five years; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [24500/01]

Seán Power

Question:

48 Mr. Power asked the Minister for Defence if he is satisfied with the level of medical care available to members of the Army, Naval Service and Air Corps; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [24459/01]

Emmet Stagg

Question:

51 Mr. Stagg asked the Minister for Defence if he is satisfied that the Defence Forces have an efficient, fully staffed medical department to deal with the medical requirements of all members of the Defence Forces; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [24505/01]

I propose to take Questions Nos. 14, 48 and 51 together.

Details of the number of doctors and nurses in the Defence Forces in the past five years are in the form of a tabular statement which I propose to circulate in the Official Report.

The Medical Corps organises the provision of medical care within the Defence Forces. This service incorporates the following elements: a planning and advisory function aimed at ensur ing the Defence Forces maintain the necessary human and material resources to meet any unexpected eventuality from the medical point of view; a training function, aimed at ensuring the skills identified as being required to carry out all elements of the Medical Corps function are maintained and that the Corps will have the ability to perform foreseeable tasks; the provision of a medical service in peacetime, including a service to peacekeeping operations in which the Defence Forces participate; and preparedness of a medical service in the eventuality of hostilities.
There are currently 27 medical officers, five dentists and four pharmacists in the Medical Corps and 38 nurses in the Army Nursing Service.
Day to day medical care of personnel must take precedence. Due to the numbers of medical officers, resources are provided for the planning and advisory function, and the training function, on an "as available basis". Within the existing constraints of available qualified personnel, the corps is, however, increasing its capacity to support personnel on peace support duties overseas by the purchase of equipment and training.
Personnel are referred to civilian facilities where necessary to maintain the required level of medical services.
The reorganisation of the Medical Corps, which was effected as part of the Defence Forces Review Implementation Plan in November 1998, was embraced as an opportunity to redirect the focus of military medical care in the Defence Forces from a predominantly hospital based service to one in which primary, occupational and field support would continue to be further developed.
At present, in addition to St. Bricin's Military Hospital, Dublin, three Military Medical Facilities, MMF, are located at the headquarters of each of the Field Medical Companies in Cork and Athlone and at Medical Detachment Supply and Services Unit in the Curragh. They have associated infirmaries for the care of "living-in" personnel – largely recruits and other training course students – who may become injured or ill. There are appointments for a physician at each MMF. There are currently X-ray, pharmacy and screening audiometry facilities at each MMF and physiotherapy facilities at MMF Cork and Curragh.
Nurses of the Army Nursing Service have taken up new appointments as members of occupational care teams in the Air Corps and Naval Service and it is planned that more nurses will be offered similar appointments in the larger barracks throughout the country.
Medical equipment is the subject of a continuing replacement and upgrading programme. Financial provision was made this year for the purchase of new field medical equipment, to support future peacekeeping missions.
Strength of Medical Officers and Nurses 1995-2000

Year

1995

1996

1997

1998

1999

2000

Medical Officers

28

28

29

29

30

29

Nurses

55

48

46

43

42

39

Temporary Nurses

6

3

4

3

3

3

Civilian Nurses

nil

nil

nil

3

1

1

Part-time Nurses

nil

nil

nil

1

1

1

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