James Reilly (Dublin North, Fine Gael)

I will try to answer the Deputy's queries in the short period available. I do not have information on the individuals for the hospitals but I will undertake to supply it. I believe in openness and transparency and all Deputies should have that information. There is an ongoing plan, and good will has come from this difficult position. I agree with the Deputy that the circumstances were not ideal. There is now co-operation between colleges, the council and training bodies, and we must introduce other stakeholders.

This process is nearly finished but after that I hope to bring the groups together again with extended stakeholders to examine the training of doctors and the ability to provide clear career paths. We must lay down protocols through the special delivery unit with regard to behaviour and specifically how colleagues behave with peers, juniors, members of the public and other staff. Non-consultant hospital doctors should also be treated with dignity and be allowed a clear career path. It is strange that we could train people to specialist registrar level but only one in four gets a consultant post. It takes almost €1 million to train people to such a level when we take into account the various costs involved.

I want to see the creation of a new specialist grade, which would be a further step on the way to becoming a consultant. Many professions were concerned that career progress would stall without future progress but that is not the intention. We hope to open discussions with various colleges to address the matter.

The Deputy raised the issue of doctors who may have returned to their home. Some 236 doctors passed the exam and only five, to my knowledge, have returned home. I am given to understand some may have done so because of personal issues and those doctors intend coming back, although I am not saying that all intend to come back to Ireland. That number is small.

The Deputy also raised a matter concerning the Irish Medical Council around the end of August. The council sought further adjustment to the supervisory posts, which was done very quickly and did not cause much of a delay. The main delay now is documentation for doctors. I acknowledge the co-operation of the House as we experienced a very difficult problem, which should never have arisen. We addressed the dilemma when it occurred and as the Deputy noted, we have implemented proper plans so as to avoid such a calamitous problem in future.

There was nothing remotely slovenly about the manner in which the recruitment took place. It happened in an orderly fashion, although this is not the preferred way to do business. There should be far better planning and we will have that in future.

See this speech in context