Hospital Internships

Dáil Éireann Debate, Tuesday - 16 April 2013

Tuesday, 16 April 2013

Questions (1192, 1236, 1238)

James Bannon

Question:

1192. Deputy James Bannon asked the Minister for Health his views on correspondence (details supplied) regarding intern places for medical students. [16497/13]

Stephen Donnelly

Question:

1236. Deputy Stephen S. Donnelly asked the Minister for Health the plans, if any, that are in place to deal with the impending shortage of intern places for EU and non-EU graduates of medical schools here; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [16745/13]

Gerry Adams

Question:

1238. Deputy Gerry Adams asked the Minister for Health the steps he is taking to address the forthcoming shortage of intern places for both EU and non-EU graduates of medical schools here in July 2013; the reason there has been Exchequer funding for additional medical school places without the corresponding increase in intern places; and his views that the State's investment in undergraduate medical education will be squandered due to graduates being unable to obtain an intern position. [16761/13]

Written answers

Minister for Health

I propose to take Questions Nos. 1192, 1236 and 1238 together.

The issue of an adequate number of intern places in the Irish medical system is a priority for my Department and for the HSE. The intern year is an integral part of medical training and a medical practitioner cannot be fully accredited without it. Under the provisions of the Medical Practitioners Act 2007 it is a matter for the HSE to assess, on an annual basis, the number of intern training posts required by the health service.

There were 572 intern posts available in Ireland for the July 2012 intake, an increase of almost 70 posts since 2007. All 2012 EU graduates from Irish medical schools who sought an intern post here that year and met the HSE eligibility criteria were successful in securing a post. Indeed, to date there have been sufficient posts for all EU graduates from Irish medical schools and a number of additional posts for some non-EU applicants.

My Department is in regular contact with the HSE in relation to the issue of intern places with the aim, in so far as is possible, of providing a sufficient number of intern places for Irish/EU graduates from Irish medical schools. It should be noted that under EU law intern posts must be open to graduates from other EU countries and the HSE has no control over the numbers applying. There are 639 intern posts available for the July 2013 intake. This means that the HSE will have approximately 70 additional posts available for interns commencing their training in July 2013, compared to July 2012. The Executive remains confident that all EU graduates from the six medical schools in Ireland who have applied for an internship and who meet eligibility qualifications will be allocated a post within the public health service as of July 2013.