Brian O'Shea (Waterford, Labour)
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Question 8: To ask the Minister for Defence the progress made during 2008 in regard to bringing the Defence Forces medical corps up to full strength; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [35946/08]

Willie O'Dea (Limerick East, Fianna Fail)
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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.

Brian O'Shea (Waterford, Labour)
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When the medical corps has been described as being in a state of virtual collapse, the Minister's last statement requires examination. Essentially, does he not agree, given that 15 doctors have left the medical corps since 2000 and only ten have been recruited, that this represents a very poor situation? I understand there are 22 doctors out of the full complement of 47. The PA Consulting report is expected by the end of the year, but I understand the position has not changed since July. Can the Minister give the House a categorical assurance that the report will be received before the end of the Dáil year, that there will be no restriction in terms of resources in 2009 in the context of implementing its recommendations and that he will do something substantial as regards the suggestion I have made to him on a number of occasions, namely, that student doctors should be given financial assistance on the quid pro quo that they give a certain designated amount of service to the Army or the Defence Forces generally after they have graduated?

Willie O'Dea (Limerick East, Fianna Fail)
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In reply to the various points made by Deputy O'Shea, it is true that more people have left since 2000 than we have managed to recruit. However, it is not true to say that the medical service is in a state of collapse because, as Deputy O'Shea and the House will be aware, where we cannot provide medical service within the Army, we engage outside medical services.

We have done our best to maintain the strength of the medical corps at its establishment level, which is 47 doctors, but unfortunately we have failed. We raised the pay and allowances considerably and undertook a number of intensive recruitment campaigns, but we failed. Therefore, we are bringing in consultants to advise us on how best to approach this problem. Deputy O'Shea wants to know whether I will give a categorical assurance that the consultants' report will be available before the end of the year. I cannot give that assurance, but I am informed that it is expected. It will be a surprise if we do not have it before the end of the year. The consultants were to consider four items and are on the third already. I am fairly optimistic we will have the report by the end of the year.

Deputy O'Shea's suggestion about student doctors is a good one and the consultants have been made aware of it. We will see what they have to say about it in their report.

Brian O'Shea (Waterford, Labour)
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Is there merit in representatives of the Defence Forces at senior level, or indeed senior officials of the Minister's Department, addressing students in the medical schools with a view to directing their attention towards the Army as a career? It is a fine career and appeals to patriotism as well as professionalism. RACO has made an interesting suggestion to the effect that there will be provision to give training in specialised areas of medicine to attract people.

Willie O'Dea (Limerick East, Fianna Fail)
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There may be merit in that. Obviously, we will be doing something about the situation as soon as we have the consultants' report. We will not be bound precisely by what they say. Other useful suggestions will be taken on board too and I will bear that one in mind.