Alan Kelly (Tipperary, Labour) | Oireachtas source

It cannot continue. If it does, I do not know where we will end up. There must be some provision in this regard. The average cost for somebody who is training to be a doctor is about €16,000 to €18,000. If one multiplies that by five years, one can see what the cost is for them. The issue is also a societal one because it is my belief that if mammy and daddy or somebody else does not sponsor these people or if they come from a certain social background, they simply will no longer be able to become doctors because it is too expensive. What can we do, maybe through the Finance Act or the budget, to facilitate and help these people and, as part of that, to ensure that they stay in this country for a period of time, if not forever? Can we put them on a pathway that would ensure that they want to and will stay in this country? One of the Minister's colleagues made a proposal previously - I will not be exhaustive, but this was one of them - regarding doing something about the interest on the loans that they take out to educate themselves. I ask the Minister to consider that and talk to his colleague. I would support that.

Finally, as the Minister is aware, this morning there is a HIQA report about South Tipperary General Hospital which is quite damning. It is incredible. I have never heard the like of it before and I ask the Minister to visit the hospital with me or with others.

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