Catherine Byrne (Dublin South Central, Fine Gael)
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Question 238: To ask the Minister for Health if he will provide details of the requirements for non-consultant hospital doctors from outside the EU/EEA regarding the provision of an IELTS certificate; if there are any exemptions in place; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [30569/11]

James Reilly (Dublin North, Fine Gael)
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In relation to non-EU/EEA doctors the Medical Council adopts the following approach to the testing of language skills:

Any applicant who has qualified from a non-EU/EEA country (and does not hold recognition with an EU competent authority) and who is applying for registration on the grounds that they have been awarded a Certificate of Experience (Internship) or equivalent document ("Level 4 Assessment") is required, amongst other things, to provide evidence of effective communication skills. Forms of acceptable evidence of effective language skills are:

1. A current Academic IELTS Certificate (dated within the last two years) with an overall band score of 7.0 and a minimum score of 6.5 in each module; or

2. USMLE if passed after the English language component was introduced in 2004.

3. Cambridge ESOL Certificate in Advanced English (CAE) - CEFR Level C1

4. Satisfactory proof the applicant has been awarded a Higher Qualification listed in Appendix A of the Registration Rules which was obtained through English; or

5. Satisfactory proof the applicant's basic medical degree and internship training were completed through English in a country where English is the language spoken by the vast majority of the population, e.g. in Australia or New Zealand over 97% of the population speak English; and in the USA over 95% of the population speak English. This is comparable to Ireland, where over 98% of the population speak English.

Additionally, the HSE also has a requirement that persons taking up Intern posts who did not complete the entirety of their undergraduate medical training in the Republic of Ireland must demonstrate their proficiency in the English language through the submission of certification from the IELTS. A minimum score of 7.5 in all domains is required.

The HSE has also instructed employers that should concerns arise regarding the English language competency of an NCHD and where the NCHD has not demonstrated English language competency under the IELTS, HSE and HSE-funded agencies may seek to assess the language competency using the IELTS.