Leo Varadkar (Dublin West, Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

It is important to note that a significant proportion of medical and dental staff, in particular non-consultant hospital doctors, NCHDs, are employed on a training rotation on fixed-term contracts. Most NCHDs are therefore recorded as being temporary employees. In total, approximately 5,000 NCHDs are employed on fixed term or specified purpose contracts or almost 65% of medical and dental employees in whole-time equivalent terms. Nearly 4,000 of the posts are part of a structured training programme. It is a permanent feature of medical employment that a large proportion of staff are on fixed term or specified purpose contracts at any given time. Ireland is no different from many other countries in that respect.

In July 2013 a working group was established, chaired by Professor Brian MacCraith, to carry out a strategic review of medical training and career structures. The group submitted its final report in June. My Department, in conjunction with relevant stakeholders, is pursuing implementation of the recommendations made by the MacCraith group to support NCHD and consultant recruitment and retention.

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