Mr. Aidan Tumbleton:

CORU has three applications from Ukrainian professionals in train at present. I understand it has received approximately 20 inquiries. The Medical Council of Ireland and the Dental Council of Ireland have both received approximately 100 inquiries from Ukrainian professionals but, as yet, have received no formal applications. English language ability and qualification recognition will be key to ensuring they are safe to practise. Departmental officials are actively engaging with the health professional regulators regarding practitioners arriving from Ukraine. The intention is to ensure that these practitioners will be assisted and facilitated in gaining access to the professional registers, where possible, mindful at all times of the importance of maintaining and promoting public safety.

Departmental officials are part of a co-ordination group established by the European Commission to examine the registration of Ukrainian health and social care professionals arriving in EU states as a result of the conflict. This group shares knowledge and best practice and is examining methods to streamline and expedite the recognition of Ukrainian professionals, including the use of electronic databases, the EU information centres for academic recognition and machine translation tools. On top of that, all Irish health regulators have been linking with the Ukrainian Embassy, providing designated points of contact for Ukrainian professionals and translating the information into the Ukrainian language.