The Health Service Executive has said that the retention of young doctors has become a critical issue for the health service.
Speaking at an event to encourage medical graduates to stay in Ireland to study and work, the HSE's Director of Doctors Training, Professor Eilis McGovern said there was now a recognition that the health services had to be proactive about retaining doctors.
She said some training bodies are responding to criticisms from students about the duration of their courses compared to overseas alternatives by amending them to make them more attractive.
Minister for Health Leo Varadkar said that the recruitment problems faced by the health services were very real but that a lot of progress was being made with 140 new doctors and 500 nurses being added to the HSE payroll since the start of the year.
Minister Varadkar said pay restoration that begins from January for junior doctors and nurses and the reductions in tax and USC, due to be introduced in the Budget would make Ireland more competitive and attractive for doctors and nurses to work here.
A HSE campaign launched in July to try and attract 500 nurses to return to Ireland to work has received fewer than 350 applications and just over 10% of posts have been filled.
He said it was too early to judge the success of this recruitment campaign as people needed to give notice to employers and landlords and it could take several months to fill these posts.
The HSE has also launched a new website for those interested in pursuing medical studies.
