Mary Harney (Dublin Mid West, Progressive Democrats)

Deputy Bruton asked about the report of the monitoring committee. The Minister for Justice, Equality and Law Reform will make a statement when the report is published.

Our thoughts today are with the parents of the late Róisín Ruddle, Helen and Ger Ruddle, who have had to come to terms with the tragedy of the unexpected death of their daughter at the age of two. The publication today of the report on her death will cause them to recall in stark detail the trauma they suffered at that time. We have to learn lessons from what happened in this case. Our Lady's Hospital for Sick Children in Crumlin has taken corrective action on foot of many of the report's recommendations. Earlier this week, I met the new manager and director of nursing who have been appointed. A number of the report's recommendations on the management of the hospital have been taken on board. In particular, a person has been appointed to take charge of the recruitment and retention of nurses.

We are changing the requirements for entry into the nursing profession. Deputy McManus has acknowledged that a graduate programme is being put in place. Some 1,640 nursing students were recruited this year. We need to establish a graduate programme for midwifery and paediatrics to shorten the timeframe for training in such areas. It can take up to eight years to become an ICU paediatric nurse. There is a worldwide shortage of such workers. Our Lady's Hospital for Sick Children in Crumlin has been given the resources to help it to engage in international recruitment. I discussed the hospital's plans to recruit overseas with its officials the other day.

There are more nurses in the Irish health service, proportionately, than in almost any other country in Europe. We have substantially more nurses than the UK. We need to ensure that the particular shortages of nurses in intensive care, paediatrics and other areas are addressed. There is substantial interest in the new education programme for nursing. The number of students who applied for nursing last year was eight times greater than the number of places. It is clear that we have to resolve some of the issues relating to retention. I have had discussions with the nursing authorities in that regard.

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