Colm Burke (Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

I welcome all the organisations and thank them for the work being done. What is the current position of doctors, not only junior doctors but also general practitioners? I have heard of a number of cases where a GP who is not a partner in a practice is having hours cut, with days employed reducing from five to two or three. As a result these doctors are giving notice and emigrating. Has the IMO come across such events on a large scale?

With regard to junior doctors in hospitals, we are educating quite a large number of people through the university system every year, turning out over 600 people, with a cost of €90 million per annum. We have done nothing to keep them in Ireland. Even if we agree to take on many more junior doctors in the hospital system, would the numbers be there to be employed? What do we need to do to keep such people in the country?

With regard to the hospice budget, the Marymount Hospice's number of beds is increasing from 24 to 44, with 36 extra staff to be employed. If the budget is to stay the same, somewhere will suffer. The employment of extra staff will absorb a share of the €72 million, along with the beds, although it is great to see the increase in Marymount and I welcome it. Nevertheless, the last thing we need to hear is that somewhere else will suffer. What additional funding is required to ensure nobody else suffers?

I have a further point relating to home care. Could we offer a tax package - as we have done in other areas - where the first €15,000 earned in providing home care assistance would be tax-exempt? Would that be of benefit in getting more people into assisting in the area?