Ms Phil Ní Sheaghdha:

Yes. It does not matter whether they trained in Ireland or they trained in a different jurisdiction and have experience of working in the Irish system. The Canadian health service looks to Ireland. When I attended a conference in Canada recently, I met a nurse who worked in the Mater hospital for six years. He is originally from the Philippines. He was recruited from Ireland to Canada along with six other people from his community with whom he had been recruited to Ireland in the first instance. Many recruitment agencies look at the Irish market with a view to recruiting nurses who were trained in Ireland and nurses who have experience in Ireland. It is seen as a good place to recruit from. When we introduce a pause, we make it more difficult to retain. It makes absolutely no sense.