Dáil Éireann debate -
Wednesday, 24 May 2000

Vol. 519 No. 6

Written Answers. - Nursing Staff.

Bernard J. Durkan

Question:

187 Mr. Durkan asked the Minister for Health and Children whether, during the past three years, there has been an increase or decrease in the number of nursing staff available throughout the country; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [14736/00]

Minister for Health and Children (Mr. Martin)

An Bord Altranais has the statutory responsibility to maintain the register of nurses. The following information is derived from the board's annual reports, the most recent of which relates to 1998:

Year	Active Register	Inactive Register	Total Register
1998	48,759	10,431	59,010
1997	47,157	8,998	56,155
1996	44,822	8,819	53,641

It is clear that there has been an increase in the number of nurses available for employment over the period 1996 to 1998.

However, the Department's health service personnel census shows a slight decrease in nursing employment over the same period. The total number of full-time equivalent nursing staff in employment at 31 December 1998 was 26,695. The corresponding figure for 1996 was 27,264, while the 1997 figure was 27,426. However, it should be noted that these figures exclude some 550 practice nurses working with GPs in their surgeries.

The Deputy may also be interested to know that agreement has been reached between the relevant Departments on a procedure for fast-tracking immigration clearances and work permits for non-EU nurses. Data maintained by An Bord Altranais indicates that in recent years there has been a net inflow of nurses to Ireland. Inflow figures for 1999 show a dramatic increase to 3,181 in the number of nurses seeking to register here.

Employers have stepped-up their recruitment from abroad with significant success in Scandinavia and the Philippines, for example, in addition to on-going recruitment within Ireland.

As part of the settlement of the nurses' strike, in response to the nursing shortage, the Department of Health and Children gave an undertaking to increase the annual intake of nursing students to 1,500 for the next three years. The action plan agreed with the nursing alliance provides for an increase of some 300 additional training places this year on the nursing registration/diploma programmes. The intention is that a total of 1,500 training places will be available: 1,000 in general nursing, 300 in psychiatric nursing and 200 in mental handicap nursing. This follows on from the highly successful outcome to last year's com petitions which resulted in a total intake of 1,215 students. This was the largest number of direct entrants to nurse training for several years.

Bernard J. Durkan

Question:

188 Mr. Durkan asked the Minister for Health and Children the position in relation to the employment of State enrolled nurses; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [14737/00]

Minister for Health and Children (Mr. Martin)

There is only one level of general nurse in Ireland, that is, registered general nurse. This is equivalent to the United Kingdom qualification of registered general nurse. The minimum qualification of training required to achieve this qualification or its equivalent throughout the European Union is laid down in EU directives.

Ireland does not have a comparable qualification to the United Kingdom qualification of state enrolled nurse. Because of the minimum training requirements laid down for general nursing in EU directives, it is not possible to allow SENs to practice as RGNs here. However, holders of the SEN qualification are currently employed in Irish hospitals in other capacities, such as care assistants and ward attendants.