It would be “reasonable” for the State to offer financial incentives to young doctors who work in Ireland after they graduate, the Minister for Higher Education has said. 

At present, many graduates finish their course and immediately book flights for Australia. 

According to RSCI, roughly 700 people graduated with medical degrees from Irish universities in 2022, while that same year, 442 doctors secured visas to move Down Under. 

On The Claire Byrne Show, Minister James Lawless said young people moving abroad to work is “normal” and a “positive thing”. 

However, he added that he hopes that those who want to stay in Ireland feel able to do so. 

“I think a lot of those people would like the opportunity to stay in Ireland,” he said. 

“I think the Irish system would benefit from that expertise remaining in the country. 

“I do think it's worth exploring, is there an incentive where we can say to people, here is the reason, an additional reason to remain in the state post-education?

“Be that a bursary, be that some rebate on student debt - if that was applicable.”

A Luas passes in front of Trinity College. Picture by: Alamy.com.

Minister Lawless noted that an undergraduate degree in medicine costs €40,000 to €50,00 but the State pays “pretty much all of that”. 

“The students are getting their free fees initiative, as has always been the way, as will always be the way for their undergraduate,” he said. 

“However, if you take medicine as a second degree, a graduate entry, the state pays roughly between €15 to €18,000 of that for a cost. 

“The student typically pays maybe between €16,000 to €20,000. So it's a significant contribution.” 

With an ageing and growing population, Ireland’s need for healthcare staff is forecast to grow significantly in the coming years and decades. 

Last year, for example, the ESRI estimated the HSE will need to increase the number of GPs by 20% by 2040. 

“We know that we’re at a time when we need to maximise our health care workforce in the country,” Minister Lawless continued. 

“We want our doctors and nurses, our therapists, et cetera, to remain in Ireland - we want to incentivise them to do that.

“So, it seems to me a way to bridge both of those issues is to give additional supports to students pursuing a graduate entry medical programme, but for those supports to be made conditional upon service to the state when you qualify.” 

Minister Lawless described this as “reasonable” and something that many other countries do.

Main image: Medical students. Picture by: Alamy.com.