Fianna Fáil plans to lure Irish doctors home to Ireland

Fianna Fáil says it will bid to entice 100 senior doctors working abroad to come home to Ireland every year by offering significantly improved consultant salaries in line with what they are earning in other countries.

The plan is included in the party’s health policy which also includes confirmation that it will not extend free GP care for under sixes to other groups and will instead set up a review to see what negative impact the free care is having on GP services.

Under the measures, Fianna Fáil said it will appoint 500 more consultants to Irish hospitals over the next five years, along with 4,000 more nurses and 400 additional public hospital beds.