Dr. Grainne O'Kane:

Career pathways are key for trainees in Ireland. I have been qualified for five years and I have obtained entry to a specialist registrar programme. However, I have also worked in Australia. Some 15 of those with whom I qualified left Ireland and five are still in Australia. Fundamentally, both the service and one's career pathway in that country are much better outlined. To be blunt, working conditions are a great deal better and there is much more focus on training. As doctors, we want to train and to provide the best possible care for our patients in the best possible conditions. That is why, ultimately, Irish graduates are leaving the country.