Dr. John Farrell:

The students do their basic medical training. If it is at postgraduate level, that is for four years. If the students go through traditional medical school, it is for five years. Then they have a year's internship, after which they are fully qualified and fully registered with the Medical Council of Ireland. After that, they can enter a four-year GP training programme. From start to finish one is looking at either nine years or ten years to be sitting in a GP surgery as an independent practitioner.