New legislation will ease the requirements placed on non-EU doctors seeking to apply for permanent registration in this State, according to the Minister for Health, Mr Martin. The legislation was passed last week.
Around 1,500 non-consultant hospital doctors in Irish hospitals come from outside the EU. In some regions they make up 60 per cent of non-consultant hospital doctors.
"These doctors have, for many years, provided essential services in our hospitals. I wish to publicly acknowledge the quality and quantity of their contribution to the Irish public health system," Mr Martin told IMO delegates in Killarney.
Proposals contained in the Medical Practitioners (Amendment) Bill 2002 took account of relevant professional experience in the assessment of applications for permanent registration.
They reduced from four to two years the period of temporary registration required before an application could be made and made provision for intern registration and temporary registration to apply in a number of health care settings.
"This bill, when enacted, will ensure that doctors, who may otherwise have had to leave the country when their seven-year period of temporary registration expired, can now remain here and apply for permanent registration," Mr Martin said.
Meanwhile the possibility of extending the working visa/work authorisation scheme, which already applies to nurses, to other health service staff is being examined in order to streamline the processing of visas and work permits for health employers, Mr Martin said.
His own department had been working closely with the Department of Enterprise, Trade and Employment as well as the Department of Justice and Foreign Affairs on the matter.
The Minister also ruled out a ban on alcohol advertising. But legislation would be brought in if the drinks industry did not come up with an advertising code, he warned.
Mr Martin wants a halt put to the practice of linking alcohol with "sporting or sexual success".
He also criticised the energy drink Red Bull. "Red Bull with alcohol is a lethal combination. Gardaí are saying the behaviour of people combining Red Bull with alcohol is outrageous," Mr Martin said.
He wanted to see rules drawn up on what could or could not be portrayed in advertisements.
The Minister said he did not agree with a complete advertising ban, as put down in a motion by doctors. But he said he could see a case for limiting or ruling out advertisements before 9 p.m. at night, for instance.
There was a difference between cigarettes and alcohol, he said, when it came to advertising. Whereas "even one cigarette is damaging", it was excessive alcohol consumption that was the problem.