Vol. 464 No. 2
84 Miss Harney asked the Minister for Health the plans, if any, he has to introduce a provision under section 30 of the Nurses Act, 1985, to establish the registration of persons who are engaged in a profession or calling which is ancillary to nursing; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [7926/96]
, Limerick East): The Nurses Act, 1985, established An Bord Altranais to provide for the registration, control and education of nurses and provided for other matters in relation to the practice of nursing and the persons engaged in such practice. Section 30 of the Act allows the board, with the Minister's consent, to register in a separate register the names of persons engaged in a profession or calling which is ancillary to nursing. The board has never sought ministerial consent to the establishment of such a register and neither I nor my predecessors have to date requested An Bord Altranais to implement that provision of the Nurses Act.
The register maintained by An Bord Altranais is a register of fully qualified nurses only. This has been sufficient to meet the requirements for the health services in this area. If this situation were to change in the future rendering the registration of grades ancillary to nursing appropriate, I am confident that An Bord Altranais would then seek my consent to the implementation of section 30 of the Nurses Act.
