Medical Council take an obstinate and archaic stance on doctors fees

For the fourth year in a row, the Medical Council is attempting to increase the annual registration fee for doctors in Ireland. This latest increase will mean that doctors will have to pay €605 per annum — up 23% since 2012.

The Council has suggested that the latest increase is necessary because its role has expanded in recent years. No mention has been made of the underlying legacy issues that are of the Council’s own making, including the fact that they are tied into a long-term lease agreement for their property in Dublin 2 — Kingram House — and that they paid almost €1.1 million in rent and rates alone in 2013.

It would be far more appropriate for the Council to examine its own internal workings before approaching doctors for higher registration fees. According to its most recent annual report for example, more than €828,000 was paid by the Council in consultancy fees in 2013 and 2014 alone.