Dáil Éireann debate -
Tuesday, 19 Feb 2002

Vol. 548 No. 5

Written Answers. - Nursing Staff.

Bernard Allen

Question:

233 Mr. Allen asked the Minister for Health and Children if he will make a statement of the recent disclosure that the number of nurses from English speaking countries who apply to work in Irish hospitals has fallen; and if he will give figures for 1999, 2000 and 2001. [5327/02]

Minister for Health and Children (Mr. Martin):

As the Deputy will be aware, Ireland is currently experiencing a shortage of registered nurses and midwives. The increasing mobility of the global workforce coupled with a need for registered nurses and midwives means that the international recruitment of nurses and midwives will continue for the foreseeable future. The information sought by the Deputy is not readily available in my Department. However, my Department recently issued a document entitled Guidance for Best Practice on the Recruitment of Overseas Nurses and Midwives . This document was prepared specifically for employers, and includes a set of principles which are fundamental to the development of a model of transcultural nursing and midwifery. It includes details on the applications from overseas applicants registered by An Bord Altranais, as follows:

Training Location	Jan. to Dec 1999	Jan. to Dec. 2000	Jan. to Sept. 2001
New Zealand	90	75	13
Canada	16	11	5
U.S.A.	107	36	37
Australia	275	216	158
Malta	1	–	–
Czech Republic	1	1	1
Romania	1	1	2
Bulgaria	–	–	1
Sudan	–	–	1
Nigeria	30	32	25
Cameroon	–	1	–
Kenya	1	1	1
Zambia	2	2	2
Tanzania	1	–	2
Zimbabwe	4	3	5
South Africa	79	81	58
Trinidad & Tobago	2	2	1
Peru	1	1	–
Brazil	1	–	1
Jordan	19	19	6
Bahrain	1	1	–
India	45	48	58
Philippines	1,057	1,143	1,310
South Korea	3	3	2
Others	9	–	–
Total Registered	1,746	1,677	1,689

On the face of it, applications from Australia, New Zealand, Canada and the US are falling but it should be borne in mind that nursing and midwifery shortages are not confined to Ireland. It is interesting to note that a recent HSEA survey on nursing resources in October, 2001, indicates that recruitment of nurses continues to run strongly ahead of the numbers leaving, with a net increase in the year ending 31 October 2001 of 1,896 nurses in the system. The Deputy may be aware that under European Union legislation an employer must first source possible nursing and midwifery personnel from within the European Economic Area. Professional qualifications are generally compatible and no work permit is required. If recruiting from outside the EEA, a work permit, working visa or work authorisation is required. An employer must also ensure that the applicant's education, training, ability to communicate in English and post-registration experience is consistent with the standards expected of nurses and midwives educated in Ireland. Indeed, language assessment forms part of an ongoing and structured review of personnel in the early stages of employment.

In addition to the foregoing, a period of supervised clinical nursing practice-orientation and assessment may be required by An Bord Altranais for non-EEA nurses or midwives who hold qualifications from countries other than Australia, Canada, New Zealand or the United States. This gives the nurse or midwife the opportunity to give nursing care under supervision, be orientated to the Irish health care system, and to be assessed for full professional registration in Ireland. Such assessment may only take place at sites which have been approved by An Bord Altranais. A national co-ordinator for clinical placements was established by my Department last year to facilitate employers, both in the public and private sector, to arrange such placements. The national co-ordinator is based in the Health Service Employers Agency. Last year the co-ordinator facilitated some 2,047 clinical placements throughout the country for 63 employers.