Dr Cathy Brogan from Rathkeale Co. Limerick at a recent protest held by GPs at Government buildings about the crisis facing the profession here

Irish GPs are being wooed with offers of tax-free salaries worth €15,000 a month to work in Qatar.

The job comes with 60 days annual leave, family accommodation and free medical cover for a four-day work schedule, according to the National Association of General Practiioners.

The organisations's chief executive Chris Goodey said that GPs were also in demand in the UK, Canada, Australia and New Zealand.

He warned: "The word out internationally is that there is a crisis in Irish general practice.

"They have become insolvent and resources are no longer sufficient to provide a safe service to patients. Like every other specialty there is an international market for family doctors and Ireland is losing.

"It is difficult for GPs who are establshed with young families to up sticks and emigrate to another country.

"But they are being forced to because in many cases their practices are operated at a loss.," he said.

He said the province of Alberta in Canada would try to attract more Irish home-grown doctors at two seminars to be held in Dublin and Cork next month.

Its GPs are reputedly earning up to €580,000 a year.

Family doctors here have seen a 40pc drop in their income in the form of State fees for treating medical card holders, leaving growing numbers in financial crisis.

Talks are now to get underway with the Department of Health on a contract to secure free GP care for under-sixes.

The discussions will also look at the general operation of the medical card scheme.

Health Minister Leo Varadkar has already said he fully acknowledges that GPs are under pressure, both financially and in terms of workload.

However, he noted that everybody in the health service was under pressure.

Latest figures show there were 2,416 GPs contracted to the HSE in April 2014 compared with 2,258 at the end of 2010.

Similarly, payments to GPs under the GMS contract have risen to €447m in 2013, compared to €438m in 2011.

Irish Independent