James Reilly (Dublin North, Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

Of course education is a matter for the Minister for Education and Skills. While no system is perfect, the leaving certificate is about the most transparent and fair system we have. I have already placed on the record my distaste for the health professions admission test. Its introduction has led to the development of a new industry that involves educating people in how to pass the test. It has been proven that people who have failed the test have subsequently passed it after going away and doing a course. It is not really doing what it is supposed to do in terms of testing aptitude in a genuine fashion.

I want to give the House some positive news. There are an extra 200 non-consultant hospital doctors since this Government took office. The Deputy asked about consultants. There are another couple of hundred of them as well. Overall medical manpower has increased by approximately 420. According to a 2009 survey, non-consultant hospital doctors worked an average of 60 hours a week. HSE data from 2012 indicate that non-consultant hospital doctors work an average of 54 hours a week. There will be exceptions because these are average figures. Data for the first six months of 2013 show that there has been a further reduction to 52.4 hours per week. The percentage of non-consultant hospital doctors working shifts in excess of 24 hours decreased from 58% in March 2013 to 24% in August.

Further progress needs to be made. We are very pleased to be co-operating with the IMO and NCHDs in this regard. I want to address the other issues that affect them in terms of the lack of a career path.

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