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Nursing and Midwifery Board of Ireland

Dáil Éireann Debate, Tuesday - 2 November 2021

Tuesday, 2 November 2021

Ceisteanna (786, 787, 788)

Bríd Smith

Ceist:

786. Deputy Bríd Smith asked the Minister for Health the outcome and any ongoing review into the work of the Nursing and Midwifery Board of Ireland following the commissioning of an external report into governance at the board by his predecessor; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [51998/21]

Amharc ar fhreagra

Bríd Smith

Ceist:

787. Deputy Bríd Smith asked the Minister for Health the legal fees paid by the Nursing and Midwifery Board of Ireland; the number of cases the Board has been involved with since 2015; the firms to which these fees were paid; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [51999/21]

Amharc ar fhreagra

Bríd Smith

Ceist:

788. Deputy Bríd Smith asked the Minister for Health the changes made on foot of the external report ordered by his predecessor into the way allegations and revelations made by whistle-blowers in relation to the Nursing and Midwifery Board of Ireland are handled; the safeguards that have been put in place since this external review; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [52000/21]

Amharc ar fhreagra

Freagraí scríofa

I propose to take Questions Nos. 786 to 788, inclusive, together.

I believe that the external reports that the Deputy is referring to is the BDO and Crowe Howarth Reports into the Nursing and Midwifery Board of Ireland (NMBI) and were completed in 2015.

Crowe Horwath was engaged to carry out an Organisational Review and BDO was engaged to carry out a review of Remuneration and Contract Management of Non-Permanent Employees. These reports, including findings and recommendations were accepted and approved by the NMBI Board. The reports have resulted in a comprehensive change to the governance arrangements in the NMBI. Regular governance meetings have taken place between the Chief Nurse’s Office in my Department of Health and NMBI Board representatives and NMBI executives at which progress against the recommendations of the Crowe Horwath report have been discussed. Regular governance meetings continue to take place between my Department and the NMBI.

The NMBI recognises the importance of good corporate governance and is committed to maintaining the highest standards of honesty, integrity, transparency and accountability. To ensure compliance with the Code of Practice for the Governance of State Bodies and the Ethics in Public Office Acts, NMBI has developed a set of governance documents to support Board members of NMBI in the performance of their functions. These documents include the ‘Code of Conduct for Board and Committee Members’ and ‘Governance Framework’. These are both published on the NMBI website at www.nmbi.ie/What-We-Do/Governance/Manual-Charter.

In regard to protected disclosures, the NMBI has a ‘Protected Disclosures Policy’, which is published on its website: www.nmbi.ie/NMBI/media/NMBI/Protected-Disclosures-Policy.pdf. This policy expresses the NMBI’s commitment to addressing concerns about potential/possible wrongdoings that may arise and protecting workers who make reports of wrongdoing under this policy. This policy aims to give effect to the obligations and provisions of the Protected Disclosure Act, 2014. Section 22 of the Protected Disclosures Act 2014 requires the publication of an Annual Report each year relating to the number of protected disclosures made to a public body in the preceding year and any actions taken in response to such disclosures. Pursuant to this requirement, NMBI has published reports on its website at www.nmbi.ie/What-We-Do/Our-Role/Protected-Disclosures-Annual-Report.

In regard to the amount of legal fees paid by the NMBI, as this is an operational matter, I have asked the NMBI to collate the information and respond directly to the Deputy.

Question No. 787 answered with Question No. 786.
Question No. 788 answered with Question No. 786.
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