Dáil Éireann Debate, Wednesday - 19 March 2025
1848. Deputy Marie Sherlock asked the Minister for Health if her Department has considered allowing Ukrainian doctors to work under close supervision as junior doctors after passing their OET exam; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [12457/25]
View answer1849. Deputy Marie Sherlock asked the Minister for Health her plans to increase English language support for Ukrainians with medical qualifications in order to complete their medical registration process; her Department’s work to date in improving English language support; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [12458/25]
View answer1850. Deputy Marie Sherlock asked the Minister for Health the number of Ukrainian doctors who have had their medical qualifications recognised by the Irish Medical Council from January 2024 to March 2025; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [12459/25]
View answer1851. Deputy Marie Sherlock asked the Minister for Health the number of applicants from Ukraine who sat the pre-registration examination for Irish Medical Council registration in 2023 and 2024 and are registered for exams in 2025; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [12460/25]
View answer1852. Deputy Marie Sherlock asked the Minister for Health the work his Department has undertaken towards the mutual recognition of Ukrainian medical qualifications; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [12461/25]
View answerI propose to take Questions Nos. 1848, 1849, 1850, 1851 and 1852 together.
I share the Deputy’s wish to see doctors and other health professionals fleeing the war in Ukraine gain registration with their respective regulators and take up employment here. Officials from my Department, the HSE and the health profession regulators have been actively supporting doctors fleeing the war in Ukraine to gain registration and take up employment in Ireland.
Following an initial assessment it became clear that specialist English language training would be needed to enable doctors to meet the necessary standard. A number of other supports are also in place including online access to Continuing Professional Development resources while registration is pending and access to HSE training materials.
My Department has made over €1m available for training and registration costs since 2022.
I am advised that the latest available data shows that 161 doctors have completed English language training programmes while 47 doctors have been successful in passing the IELTS or OET English language exam.
As the Deputy will appreciate there are unique challenges faced by these students in coping with their learning and living environments, family commitments and the emotional difficulty of being displaced by the war.
Any qualified doctor wishing to practise medicine in Ireland is required to first register with the Medical Council and the Council is obliged to ensure that all doctors it registers meet the necessary standards to practise medicine here. The Council re-iterated its commitment to facilitating the registration and integration of Ukrainian doctors seeking to practise in Ireland, especially in light of the challenges posed by displacement. Recognising the unique circumstances of these doctors, the Council has put in place comprehensive measures to support their registration process.
Doctors from Ukraine, depending on their qualifications and experience, may apply for registration in the General, Specialist, or Supervised Division. In order to gain full registration with the Medical Council, doctors must pass both a computer exam (known as the PRES 2) and a clinical skills exam (known as the PRES 3). Alternatively, those seeking Specialist Registration can undergo an evaluation of their training and experience. Once applicants pass the PRES 2, they are eligible to join the Supervised Division and can take up paid clinical roles operating under the supervision of a Consultant.
If the applicant is seeking registration via the PRES route, they may sit the exams while verification of their medical credentials is being sought. To support doctors coming from Ukraine, the Department of Health has provided funding which covers two attempts at both the PRES 2 and the PRES 3 exams. In addition, the Medical Council has waived the application fee of €410 and a nominal registration fee of €5 applies to the first registration.
Currently 14 doctors are active on the register, having passed the PRES 3, with 13 doctors registered in the General Division and one doctor registered in the Supervised division.
With regards to the next sitting of the PRES 3 in the Spring, 32 doctors are waiting to sit the exam. In February,13 applicants completed the PRES 2 with a further 15 applicants to complete the PRES 2 in May 2025.
For those who are not yet eligible for registration, the HSE has developed a Clinical Observer role which allows Ukrainian doctors who meet the English language standards to take up a non-practising observer position under the close supervision of a consultant. The goal is to familiarise these doctors with the Irish health service while they progress through the registration process.
Officials from my Department will continue to engage with colleagues in the HSE and the Medical Council to assist Ukrainian health practitioners to gain registration and employment here.
