merrion street

Minister for Health Stephen Donnelly TD has removed barriers to accessing postgraduate training for non-EEA qualified doctors.

Minister Donnelly has signed an order commencing Sections 97 and 100 of the Regulated Professions (Health and Social Care) (Amendment) Act 2020.

These sections amend the Medical Practitioners Act 2007 and remove a requirement that doctors who qualified in a non-EEA country and who wish to commence postgraduate medical training in Ireland, must have completed an internship deemed the equivalent of that completed in Ireland. At present internships from just six non-EEA countries (Australia, New Zealand, Sudan, Malaysia, Pakistan and South Africa) are deemed equivalent.

Welcoming the change, Minister Donnelly said:

Ireland’s health service has, for many years, been supported by highly skilled and caring doctors from across the world. Until now, many of those doctors who trained outside the EEA have been ineligible to apply for specialist training in this country. I appreciate that this has been very frustrating for them as they sought to build their lives and careers here. I am pleased that this barrier has now been removed and I know that this step will be welcomed by all of those in the medical profession.