Tom Kitt (Dublin South, Fianna Fail)

I propose to take Questions Nos. 8 and 19 together.

All members of the Permanent Defence Force are required to undergo an annual medical examination. In 2007, a total of 8,111 annual medical examinations were conducted with a shortfall of 2,323. The figures in respect of earlier years are being collated and will be provided to the Deputies as soon as they are available.

The shortage of medical officers in the Medical Corps was the principal reason that not every member of the Defence Forces underwent a medical examination in the years in question. Due to operational constraints, personnel sometimes are not available to attend for examination at the scheduled times. Personnel due to serve overseas, those wishing to extend service and recruits and cadets at initial grading are among those prioritised for medical examination.

The services of civilian medical practitioners are used to provide back-up to the Medical Corps to ensure the primary health care requirements of the Defence Forces are met. Annual medical examinations are part of the occupational medical service of the Defence Forces and the preference is, therefore, that they be conducted by serving medical officers.

The challenges facing the Medical Corps have been recognised for some time and a review of the provision of medical services is ongoing as part of the modernisation agenda for the Defence Forces. The representative associations are involved with the Department in this review. The scope of the review includes the level of service to be provided to members of the Defence Forces and the resources required for the delivery of that service.

Given the ongoing issues and mindful of the need to make progress in this area, it has been decided to engage consultants to make recommendations on the best means of meeting the medical requirements of the Defence Forces. The process of engaging the consultants is under way.

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