Ms Phil Ní Sheaghdha:

The UK is not in the European Union but we know that Brexit significantly affected its ability to recruit. We know it has had a lot more difficulties recruiting. The European Union does not set standards for staffing. It sets standards for education. In other words, there is an EU directive on the standards one must meet in order to practise as a nurse or midwife from the education perspective. What we do know is that countries or areas, such as New South Wales and California, which apply ratios based on patient safety and patient outcomes have much better retention. Nurses want to work in those locations and they go there to work. The Deputy is right – pay does affect this, of course, as does housing. There is absolutely no doubt about the influence of the high cost of rent. Staff nurses tell us that over 70% of their wages is spent on rent in some locations. That is a factor. In our prebudget submission, we sought for tax relief to be made available to those who have to rent close to where they work. It is not an option for nurses or midwives to work from home. They have to go in and attend. Many of our hospitals are in big urban areas and rents in those areas are expensive.