Dr. Colm Henry:

I thank the Senator for his question. Normally there are 734 intern posts created as part of our structured intern training scheme which feeds into our basic specialist training, higher specialist training and so on. Last year, as a once-off, we offered in excess of 1,100 posts because of the prevailing conditions. We were in the middle of the first surge. The interns started early, on 25 May, rather than in early July and that overlap was particularly welcomed by the intern networks and the junior doctors themselves. It was always understood that this was a once-off situation.

The figure is set at 734 because that number of places corresponds to other important interdependent numbers, one of which is the number of CAO applicants for medicine and the number of training places available for doctors who come off the intern year, which is a year they must complete before they get full registration. Basic specialty training comes after intern year, then higher specialist training and, ultimately, consultant posts. What we are trying to do is create more posts at senior level so there is proper medical manpower planning and a corresponding number of interns produced by our medical schools.

On the issue of the numbers and any future expansion, work is ongoing in the HSE by the national doctors training and planning unit on the modernisation of the intern year project, involving all of the 734 posts. One stream of this project involves looking at the numbers of posts, the number of training positions for people after they come off intern schemes and how they will ultimately lead to GP or consultant posts as part of proper, all-round manpower planning. I hope that answers the question but I am happy to respond to any issues the Senator may have.