Ms Phil Ní Sheaghdha:

Just to answer that from a nurse and midwife perspective, we survey our graduate nurses the January before they graduate every year. We have done that for the past four years. Every survey indicates the same thing, which is that they want to stay in Ireland working in the Irish public health service for at least the first year post graduation to consolidate their training. It is the system that is forcing them out. Some will decide to travel and some will decide not to travel. Last year the retention was improved but, again, one has to take into account all of the travel restrictions.

We are also seeing many nurses attempting to return. Again, there are delays in registering with the Nursing and Midwifery Board of Ireland, NMBI. There are some delays in getting registered that can be corrected. That is a simple enough fix. If that is delaying the return, it needs to be fixed. Whatever it takes to invest in additional staffing, and whatever the NMBI needs, must be looked at because that is a simple enough issue to fix. When people want to return, we should be making it as easy as possible for them to return. We also had a programme whereby if staff returned to work in the Irish public health service, there were incentives. As a trade union, we have had to pursue those incentives because they are not paid. The promise is made, and the circular is there, but then one has to follow it and pursue it via the industrial relations channels. If we are serious about making it attractive to come back, all of the agreements that are in place must be implemented and promoted as an incentive and enticement to come back.