Mr. Barry O'Brien:

We are responding as a health service by having more people in training than ever before. We have increased year-on-year the number of interns, as recommended in the Fottrell report. It is a reflection on the quality of the training in Ireland that many Irish doctors decide to travel the world and practise their profession in other locations, despite the fact we have increased by 500 the number of consultant posts that have been available. That is the nature of the profession; people travel in other professions when they have a globally recognised credential.

The very nature of our rotation twice a year in January and July, based on the requirements of the training, means that other statutory agencies have a contribution to make if there is to be a fundamental change in the dynamic of how we plan and deliver medical education and training and we are working with each of them. Around this time every year, the level of vacancies changes on a daily basis. This time last year, May was a crisis month and by the third week of June, every slot was accounted for. I am not saying the same will happen this year, but that is the nature of the business we are in when it comes to situations like this.