I propose to take Questions Nos. 471, 480, 553, 570, 576 and 583 together.
Responsibility for the regulation of nurses and midwives in Ireland rests with The Nursing and Midwifery Board of Ireland (NMBI).
NMBI is an independent regulatory body established under the Nurses and Midwives Act 2011. While my Department is responsible for the oversight and governance of the NMBI, I have no role in setting or approving fees.
Under the Nurses and Midwives Act 2011, the NMBI is required to be self-financing, and the Annual Retention Fee is required to carry out their statutory obligations to protect the integrity of the practice of the professions of nursing and midwifery, and to protect the public. The annual retention fee was set by the NMBI in 2014 at €100 and is its main source of income in order to full these obligations.