Ms Hilda Wall:

There are four advanced neonatal nurse practitioners in the country, all of whom are in Dublin. They were slow to come on board because they had to go to England for their training. They commenced training this year in the Royal College of Surgeons in Ireland, in combination with the three Dublin hospitals and the Cork hospital. These practitioners will have the same skills as junior hospital doctors. They will be able to cannulate and intubate babies. They will be able to manage babies who are very ill. This will alleviate much of the pressure in the system. It will also extend the role of nurses, who are obviously keen to be more involved in the care of babies.