James Reilly (Dublin North, Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

The Deputies are correct as communication goes beyond language. Much is lost but there is a balance to be struck between the value brought to other countries by training people and working here, and what our people get from going to other countries to train. In the main, it is regrettable that we have trained Irish doctors and nurses who then go abroad while we are taking doctors and nurses from Third World countries which need them far more than us. We are trying to address that issue through the new entry level of consultants, meaning we can employ more consultants at an earlier stage. It makes no sense that three out of four specialist registrars leave this country when they finish their training because they cannot get a job. It costs the guts of €1 million to bring those people to that point of professional development.