Willie O'Dea (Limerick East, Fianna Fail)

Military medical services and their facilities exist to maintain the health of the Defence Forces and support them in operational and overseas activities. The focus of the military medical service is on primary care, occupational medicine, acute trauma management, preventative medical programmes and field medical training.

A key issue in the provision of medical services to the Defence Forces has been the shortage of medical officers, that is, doctors, in the medical corps. The services of civilian medical practitioners are used to provide back-up to the medical corps in ensuring the primary health care requirements are met. The difficulties with the recruitment of medical officers have endured for some time despite the concerted efforts of my Department and the Defence Forces. The numbers attracted to work in the Defence Forces have served only to address natural wastage. The pay and allowances of doctors and dentists were increased substantially in consultation with the Minister for Finance. In addition, the Defence Forces have undertaken an intensive recruitment campaign. The results of both of these initiatives have been disappointing.

Apart from the issue of the numbers of medical officers, a review of the provision of medical services, in association with the representative associations, is ongoing as part of the modernisation agenda for the Defence Forces. In view of the complexity of the challenge facing the Defence Forces in this area, I decided to engage consultants to make recommendations on the best means of meeting the medical requirements of the Defence Forces. The consultancy will focus on the sustainable provision of the relevant medical expertise and services to the Defence Forces.

PA Consulting has been awarded the contract for the medical consultancy. I expect its report to be delivered before the end of the year. I eagerly await receipt of the report and assure the House that following consideration of the recommendations I will publish the report and engage with all the key stakeholders regarding its implementation.

The development of the medical corps forms part of An Agreed Programme for Government. I am committed to providing a sustainable medical service to meet the needs of the Defence Forces both at home and abroad. Notwithstanding the current position, I assure the House that Defence Forces personnel requiring medical treatment receive the care they need.

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