Dáil Éireann Debate, Tuesday - 1 May 2012
637 Deputy Simon Harris asked the Minister for Health if his attention has been drawn to the findings of the recent Health Service Executive report, Implementation of the Reform of the Intern Year, which describes a significant deficit in the number of intern posts available for the Government-funded expanded number of medical graduates; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [21712/12]
Amharc ar fhreagra638 Deputy Simon Harris asked the Minister for Health if he will outline in tabular form the number of new medical graduates here and the corresponding number of available intern posts for each of the years 2007 to 2012, projected; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [21713/12]
Amharc ar fhreagraI propose to take Questions Nos. 637 and 638 together.
The Health Service Executive recently provided my Department with a copy of the second interim implementation report on reform of the intern year. The report outlines progress made by the HSE, in collaboration with a range of partners, in the further implementation of reforms in intern training. It also raises concerns at the availability of intern posts to cater for the increasing numbers of EU graduates from Irish medical schools. The HSE has confirmed that the number of applicants for the July 2012 intake of intern posts is substantially less than that originally expected and that the existing number of intern posts is sufficient to cater for the EU applicants remaining in the recruitment process and some non-EU applicants.
Projections of the number of EU graduates from Irish medical schools suggest that the increase in graduates will begin to have a significant impact on the availability of intern posts from 2013 onwards. My Department and the HSE are considering a range of short term and longer term options to address this issue. The tabular information requested by the Deputy is as follows:
|
Year |
Number of EU graduates from Irish Medical Schools |
Number of non EU graduates from Irish Medical Schools |
Total number of graduates |
Number of Intern Posts |
|
2007 |
367 |
358 |
725 |
503 |
|
2008 |
N/A* |
N/A* |
680 |
503 |
|
2009 |
373 |
320 |
693 |
504 |
|
2010 |
525 |
255 |
780 |
521 |
|
2011 |
N/A** |
N/A** |
N/A** |
557 |
|
2012 |
N/A** |
N/A** |
N/A** |
567 |
* RCSI graduate data does not include EU and non-EU breakdown for 2008.
** The Higher Education Authority has indicated that the number of 2011 graduates is currently being compiled and the figure for 2012 will not be available until 2013.
