A doctor has been struck off the medical register by the High Court after he was found guilty of misconduct by repeatedly ignoring requirements to keep up to date with his professional competency.

Mr Justice Peter Kelly said Dr Syed Munir, a senior house officer in the anaesthesiology department of Blanchardstown Hospital, Dublin, had been "given every opportunity to put things right".

However, he had ignored the Medical Council and acted in breach of conditions previously imposed on him in an effort to get him to comply with professional competence requirements, the judge said.

The judge agreed with the Council that his striking off was essential for public safety.

JP McDowell, solicitor for the Council, said this was the third disciplinary process against Dr Munir since 2015 but despite hundreds of letters and emails to him, he had a history of non-engagement with the Council's professional and disciplinary requirements.

He sent an email last Friday saying he would be unable to attend court on Monday as he was unwell.

Professional competency audit

Mr McDowell said Dr Munir, who qualified in Pakistan in 1991 and lives in Clonee, Dublin 15, had been the subject some years ago of a professional competency audit. He did not participate in that audit and as a result in 2015, a Council Fitness to Practice Committee (FtPC) imposed conditions on his registration including that he comply with ongoing competency obligations.

He failed to carry them out and there was a further inquiry in 2017 which resulted in the Council recommending his suspension from practice for six months. When those six months expired, he was still required to engage with professional competency schemes.

He again failed to do so and after another inquiry found him guilty again of misconduct with the result that last November, the Council recommended his striking off.

"...extraordinarily stupid answers..."

Apart from failing to comply with professional competency requirements, he was also found guilty of submitting paperwork to the Council in which he answered yes to questions about taking part in competency schemes and saying no to a question of whether he had ever been the subject of sanctions.

Mr Justice Kelly said these seemed "extraordinarily stupid answers" when they were being provided to the authority (the Council) which was responsible for them in the first place.

The judge noted the president of the Council took a more severe view of what he did, saying it was dishonesty.

He also said the FtPC, in recommending the cancellation of his registration, described him as a "serial offender" who represents a risk to the public.

The court did not see any good reason for not striking him off and confirmed the decision of the Council.

He also directed the relevant authority in Pakistan be informed of the decision.