Canadian Minister says he is going on six-day tour of Ireland to recruit doctors

The news comes as Ireland battles record numbers of patients waiting on trolleys in overcrowded hospitals across the country.

"We certainly feel and hope that there will be significant interest amongst health-care professionals in Ireland,” said Newfoundland and Labrador Health Minister Tom Osborne.

He told CBC News that he is leading a team of 11 recruiters who will touch down in 4 Irish cities to convince doctors to make the move.

Doctors and nurses are being sought to fill gaps in the Canadian healthcare system, ones similar to what Ireland is currently facing.

“We feel that we can be competitive,” he said, revealing to CBC News that potential hires will receive incentives.

Matthew Sadlier, chair of the consultant committee for the Irish Medical Organisation, admitted a major loss of Irish doctors will have impacts on the Irish health system.

"It is quite worrying that our doctors may be leaving us," he said.

"There's a perfect storm happening at the moment. We are hit with serious difficulties in the working environment in the Irish health-care service.

"Doctors are suffering extreme burnout,” he told CBC News.

Canadian recruiters arrive in Ireland just months after a billboard sponsored by the Department of Health in Victoria, Australia popped up near Dublin’s Mater Hospital.

“Victoria, Australia. Now recruiting healthcare workers... join the community,” it said. “Authorised by the Victorian Government, Melbourne, Australia."

A record number of 931 people were on trolleys in Irish hospitals last week, with large numbers of doctors and healthcare staff working overtime to speed up patient discharges.

The Irish Nurses and Midwives Organisation has threatened industrial action over hospital overcrowding.

The union said it was seeking safe staffing levels and would consult members about industrial action over the next month.

It comes as the HSE confirmed more than 10,000 members are currently out of work, representing around 8pc of the workforce, in a week where emergency department attendances hit record heights.

INMO president Karen McGowan said it had become “impossible” to provide safe care to patients in overcrowded settings due to the threat of viruses circulating.

She said nurses and midwives had been left “traumatised” by what they witnessed.