Dáil Éireann díospóireacht -
Tuesday, 4 Dec 1990

Vol. 403 No. 4

Written Answers. - Training of Doctors.

Patrick D. Harte

Ceist:

209 Mr. Harte asked the Minister for Health if his attention has been drawn to a report that young doctors are emigrating because the Government have failed to provide proper training and research facilities; and if he will give the approximate number of doctors who have emigrated in each of the last five years.

Minister for Health (Dr. O'Hanlon)

I am aware of an opinion recently expressed in the medical press that attributes the shortage of Irish trained doctors in Ireland to inadequate post-graduate training and research facilities.

Irish doctors have always had a tradition of going abroad for further training and experience to further their careers. The available evidence suggests that there are many other reasons why Irish doctors choose to go abroad. It is not clear that a perceived lack of training and research facilities is a major cause of emigration.

Nevertheless, there is an increasing number of young Irish doctors going abroad at an early stage in their careers which, in turn, has increased our reliance on non-national doctors to fill non-consultant posts — particularly in the smaller hospitals. I recently consulted with a number of statutory bodies in the matter.

In so far as the numbers of doctors who have emigrated in the last five years are concerned, this information is not available to my Department.