Dáil Éireann díospóireacht -
Wednesday, 5 Feb 1992

Vol. 415 No. 4

Written Answers. - Medical Positions.

Richard Bruton

Ceist:

171 Mr. R. Bruton asked the Minister for Health the numbers of Irish doctors and nurses who qualified in each of the past three years; the number of new posts for doctors and nurses in health institutions or in community care established in the past three years; and if she will make a statement on the matter.

Minister for Health (Mrs. O'Rourke)

The information requested by the Deputy in relation to the number of doctors and nurses who qualified in the past three years is set out in the following tabular statement:

	1989	1990	1991
1. Number of Nurses Qualifying in Irish Training Hospitals in each year	1,400	1,100	1,400
2. Number of medical students graduating from Irish Medical Colleges and Universities	411	394	386

Source: 1. An Bord Altranais.

2. The Medical Council.

During 1989 and 1990 some 292 additional medical posts and 1,778 additional nursing posts have been recorded by my Department in their annual health services personnel census. These posts arose in the main from Government initiatives such as the reduction in the number of hours worked per week by nurses and non-consultant hospital doctors, the commissioning of new units and special budgetary allocations for the development of services for the elderly and mentally handicapped.

Census data in respect of 1991 is not yet available. However, the commissioning of further new units and the ongoing development of services for the elderly and mentally handicapped can be expected to reflect a further increase in medical and nursing posts in 1991.

I would also make the point that, apart from any additional posts created, normal staff turnover arising from retirements, resignations and other temporary movement out of the labour force results in employment opportunities for nursing and medical graduates.