Éamon Ó Cuív (Galway West, Fianna Fail)
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435. To ask the Minister for Health his views on the matter of young doctors qualifying from medical universities and colleges each year and then leaving the country; the numbers qualifying in each of the past ten years, and the numbers from whatever data and estimates are available of those who emigrated; the reason this is so and what the broad reason is for same from studies conducted; the salary levels available to young doctors in years one, two and three of career jobs; the plans to keep these doctors here; if data is available on the level of loans taken out by medical students when studying and if repayments of these is a factor in decisions to emigrate; if consideration has been given to a mandatory three to four years stay in this country after graduation; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [32987/15]

Leo Varadkar (Dublin West, Fine Gael)
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A number of our NCHDs and consultants go abroad as part of their training, and some following completion of their training, to gain experience and expertise prior to taking up posts in Ireland. A further cohort go abroad for a variety of other reasons, such as working conditions, life style and pay.

Let me assure the Deputy that the recruitment and retention of doctors is key to the effective functioning of the health service. In this context, the implementation of the recommendations of the Strategic Review of Medical Training and Career Structure is a priority for my Department.

In July 2013, a Working Group, chaired by Prof Brian MacCraith, President, Dublin City University, was established to carry out the Strategic Review. The Working Group was tasked with examining and making high-level recommendations relating to training and career pathways for doctors with a view to:

- Improving graduate retention in the public health system;

- Planning for future service needs; and

- Realising maximum benefit from investment in medical education and training.

The Working Group completed its work in June 2014 and, in all, submitted three reports and made 25 recommendations. The reports address a range of barriers and issues relating to the recruitment and retention of doctors in the Irish public health system.

The Strategic Review recommendations are being implemented through a range of structures and processes across the health system. Each recommendation has an identified business owner and progress updates are sought by my Department on a regular basis. To support implementation of the recommendations, my Department has also established an Implementation Monitoring Group, comprising key stakeholders. To date, two progress reports on the implementation of the recommendations have been published on my Department’s website. These allow all stakeholders to assess the progress being made across the range of Strategic Review recommendations. At this point the focus is on the implementation of these measures, to support retention. It is not considered feasible at present to introduce a mandatory requirement to stay in Ireland post graduation.

I have asked the HSE to reply to the Deputy regarding both the numbers qualifying annually and the numbers emigrating. We do not have specific data on the level of loans taken out by medical students.

The initial points of the consolidated salary scales for Non-Consultant Hospital Doctors (basic pay only, this does not include allowance and overtime payments) are as follows: