Appointment to the Committees of the Medical Council 2026
Please note, the Medical Council is no longer seeking expressions of interest to serve on its committees.
General Recruitment Information Booklet
An overview of each committee is provided below, as well as a separate Expression of Interest form for each committee, which outlines the essential and desirable criteria for each relevant committee.
More general information on time commitments, remuneration, terms of appointment and the assessment process can be found in our General Recruitment Information Booklet here. Please read this booklet and the additional expression of interest from for the Committee you are applying for.
Deadline:
All expressions of interest should be submitted on the appropriate Expression of Interest form, along with an up-to-date CV to committees@mcirl.ie by 5pm on 30 April 2026.
It is intended that a decision on all Expressions of Interest received by the deadline will be made on or before 5pm on 30 May 2026 and applicants will be notified of same thereafter.
Seeking further Assistance
If you have any queries not answered on this page or in the information booklet, please contact committees@mcirl.ie.
About the Medical Council
The Medical Council (the “Council”) is the regulator of doctors in Ireland and maintains the Register of Medical Practitioners - the register of all doctors who can practise medicine in Ireland. The Medical Council also sets the standards for medical education and training in Ireland. It oversees lifelong learning and skills development throughout doctors' professional careers through its professional competence requirements. It is charged with promoting good medical practice. The Medical Council is also where the public may make a complaint against a doctor.
The Medical Council was established under the Medical Practitioners Act, 1978, as amended in 2007 (Medical Practitioners Act 2007). The Medical Council will be required to work in accordance with pending amending legislation, the Regulated Professions (Health and Social Care) (Amendment) Act 2020, once commenced. The Medical Council receives no state funding and is funded primarily by doctors’ registration fees.
Our functions include:
- Promoting good medical practice
- Investigating complaints against medical practitioners
- Ensuring high standards of medical education and training
- Maintaining the Register of Medical Practitioners in Ireland
- Setting standards for the maintenance of professional competence
Committees of the Medical Council - General Overview
To support the Council in delivering its significant role and remit, the Medical Council has put in place a governance structure, supported by committees, focusing on particular aspects of the Council’s work. Council benefits from the expertise and experience of many external committee members, who assist Council in delivering its core functions in the interest of patient safety.
There are also several further panels and working groups which report to and assist the Committees.
Serving on a Medical Council Committee offers members the unique opportunity to contribute to the operation of the regulatory environment that protects the public and supports doctors. It also allows members to directly influence the successful development and implementation of the Medical Council’s Strategy.
By applying for appointment to any Committee of Council, it is assumed that the applicant can meet the time commitments specified. In addition, applicants should be prepared to meet and work remotely, as required.
Committee members will be required to allow for reading of material to prepare for Committee meetings, to include reading voluminous material in advance of Committee meetings, and to attend and prepare for other activities, such as, Committee training, as required. Induction is provided for new members. Meeting papers are normally circulated in advance of the meeting.
Additional meetings may be called by the Chair of the Committee at any time to consider any matters falling within the Terms of Reference.
100 percent attendance is expected of all members at Committee meetings.
All Committee Members are required to undertake a comprehensive induction and training programme provided by the Medical Council.
The Medical Council is currently seeking expressions of interest to serve on the below Committees
Audit and Risk Committee (ARC)
The Medical Council is seeking Expressions of Interest from interested parties to join the Audit and Risk Committee (ARC).
The Committee supports the Council in their responsibilities for issues of risk and control by reviewing the comprehensiveness of assurances in meeting the Council’s and Accounting Officer’s assurance needs and reviewing the reliability and integrity of these assurances; to ensure compliance with best practice in policies, processes and controls across the organisation and to review and make recommendations on the budget and expenditure of the organisation.
Education and Training Committee (ETC)
The Medical Council is seeking Expressions of Interest from interested parties to join the Education and Training Committee (ETC).
The Committee supports the Council in quality assuring medical education and training in Ireland so that patients can be assured that doctors are adequately prepared to provide good quality care to patients. The Education and Training Committee will ensure a quality assurance framework that applies the principles of right-touch regulation appropriate for the Irish context yet in keeping with best international regulatory practices.
Fitness to Practise Committee (FtPC)
The Medical Council is seeking Expressions of Interest from interested parties to join our Fitness to Practise Committee (FtPC).
The primary objective of the Fitness to Practise (FTP) function is to support the Council’s objective of protecting the public by promoting and better ensuring high standards of professional conduct and professional education, training and competence among doctors.
The primary function of the FtPC is to hold Inquiries to consider complaints involving allegations of a serious nature which have been referred by the Council’s Preliminary Proceedings Committee. Each Inquiry team is made up of two non-medical and one medical member drawn from the 35-person FtPC.
Members of the Inquiry team are required to act as impartial decision makers, hearing evidence from the CEO and the Doctor and then making a determination of fact, based on the evidence put before them. The Inquiry team is required to give reasons for the decision, and where a complaint is proven, to make recommendations to the Medical Council on an appropriate sanction(s).
Charged with conducting oral inquiries into doctors’ fitness to practise, determining in the region of 90 matters per year, with up to 140 hearing days per year. The FtPC is made up of a non-medical majority, with at least one third as Council members, and one third medical practitioners.
Preliminary Proceedings Committee (PPC)
The Medical Council is seeking Expressions of Interest from interested parties to join the Preliminary Proceedings Committee (‘PPC’).
This Committee is established under the Medical Practitioners Act 2007, in order to give initial consideration to complaints against registered medical practitioners.
The PPC investigates complaints in accordance with Part 7 of the Medical Practitioners Act 2007, and determines:
1) Where the Preliminary Proceedings Committee is, in respect of a complaint, of the opinion that -
(a) there is not sufficient cause to warrant further action being taken in relation to the complaint,
(b) the complaint should be referred to another body or authority or to a professional competence scheme, or
(c) the complaint is one that could be resolved by mediation or other informal means pursuant to guidelines prepared under section 62 (1),
(d) Or if the PPC accept an undertaking and/or consent from the registrant (practitioner) (Section 59A of the 2007 Act)
This Committee, like others within the Council, plays a unique role within the regulatory environment to ensure public safety in Ireland. The work is dynamic and challenging, and members will play an important role in the overall health system, working alongside the Council’s executive team. As part of this exciting opportunity, you will be working alongside internal and external stakeholders to deliver the Medical Council’s Statement of Strategy and annual Business Plans, as they relate to the Preliminary Proceedings Committee.
Charged with giving initial consideration to complaints against registered medical practitioners, in the region of 400 complaints per year.
Registration and Continuing Practise Committee (RCPC)
The Medical Council is seeking Expressions of Interest from interested parties to join the Registration and Continuing Practice Committee (RCPC).
The Committee oversees matters relating to registration of doctors to the Register of Medical Practitioners, Professional Competence, Performance Assessment and registration appeal hearings.
Members of the Committee will be involved in the following:
a) Ensuring the effective establishment and maintenance of the register of medical practitioners, including determinisation of non-standard applications for registration
b) Monitoring the maintenance of professional competence programme and related activities, including Performance Assessment.