Consultant
Once you have successfully completed specialist training and are registered on the Specialist Division of the Medical Council Register, you can be appointed as a consultant – a senior clinician who can practice medicine without supervision and provide clinical supervision to training and non-training NCHDs.
Recruitment for consultant posts
There are currently over 4,000 HSE-funded approved consultant posts. Since March 2023, all new consultant appointments are made under the Public Only Consultant Contract, as detailed in HR Circular 008 2023 available on the HSE website.
Consultant posts are advertised on various platforms, including:
1. Medical consultant recruitment hub
Publicjobs.ie is a dedicated online hub where you can view and apply for medical consultant roles. This hub manages independent recruitment and selection process for permanent medical consultant roles on behalf of the HSE.
Roles are currently grouped by twelve specialties: surgery, psychiatry, paediatrics, anaesthesiology, emergency medicine, obstetrics and gynaecology, general internal medicine, pathology, radiology, public health, orthodontics, and ophthalmology. All vacancies are easily searchable by speciality, county, or keyword.
The hub also details requirements for working in the Irish healthcare system, and has information about topics like housing, taxation, banking, driving, and education.
2. Hospital websites
Individual hospital websites will advertise consultant posts. You should check these regularly for updates on vacancies.
3. CAAC-approved roles
All new and replacement consultant posts must be recommended for approval by the Consultant Applications Advisory Committee (CAAC). The role of the CAAC is to provide independent and objective advice to the HSE on applications and the qualifications required for consultant posts. The recommendations of the CAAC are then submitted to the National Director of Human Resources and, if a post is approved, the hospital is authorised to advertise the post.
All posts approved at the CAAC meeting are listed centrally on the HSE’s website. While there is a slight delay between recommendation for approval by the CAAC and advertisement of the job, this list is a useful resource for anyone interested in applying to work as a consultant in Ireland.
Visit the HSE website to download the latest approved posts.
Funding supports for consultants
The Consultant Continuing Medical Education (CME) scheme allows consultants to claim funds towards courses and conferences, reference materials, and professional fees.
Learn more about funding and support schemes in our Supports section.