Cyprian Brady (Dublin Central, Fianna Fail)

I welcome the opportunity to complete my contribution on this Bill. As I stated on the last occasion, the nursing and midwifery professions have for quite some time been taken for granted. There have been significant changes in these careers over the past number of years and the educational requirements for nursing have changed drastically. As I stated on that occasion, the introduction of degree qualifications and the ongoing training and education while in the job have led to highly qualified and highly skilled professional staff, particularly in the specialist nursing areas. Today's nursing profession is a far cry from what it was a decade or 20 years ago.

The introduction of this legislation provides protection for those engaged in the profession but also for their clients. The Bill also further enhances the opportunities for recognition of qualifications, specifically by ensuring that the employers and management in hospitals are obliged to facilitate nurses and midwives in maintaining and improving their professional competence. That has been a considerable issue over the years. For a long time there was little scope for promotion in the nursing profession. That has changed drastically over the past number of years and this is to be welcomed.

In the past, usually the spotlight was put on the nursing profession only when a particularly nasty case of malpractice or abuse arose and ended up in the media. Given the highly personal nature of the business of nursing, nurses can often find themselves in situations where they are open to false accusations. While patients can suffer due to incompetence or a lack of commitment, the onus is always on the professional to ensure that there is an adequate service provided. The strengthening of the fitness to practice committee in this legislation and the hearing of inquiries in public in most cases will protect both the patients and the service providers, and a robust system of accountability is crucial to both sides of the equation here.

Turning to the main element, the Bill provides for repeal of the Nurses Act 1985 and for a new legislative framework in respect of nurses and midwives, and makes provision for enhanced protection of the public in its dealing with the nurses and midwives. Given the nature of these professions and the intimate and personal nature of them, that is very much to be welcomed.

The recognition of midwifery as a separate and distinct profession is also to be welcomed. Anybody who has been blessed to have gone through child birth can only admire midwives and their dedication to their profession. There is provision for clinical supervision of midwives, who must have adequate indemnity insurance. Insurance in the medical industry in general is a significant issue and is something that raises its head on a regular basis.

The provision of a non-nursing-midwifery majority on the board and on its fitness to practice committee will ensure that the highest standards are maintained and that those who are dealing on a daily basis with the issues that arise have an input and a say in how the profession goes on in future. The Bill also provides for a stronger governance and accountability structure for the board, which is important. In these days of extremely high requirements in corporate governance in general, it is correct that a strong structure is put in place from the start.

The Bill also provides for an improved investigation mechanism for complaints about nurses and midwives, including the establishment of an assessment committee prior to the fitness to practice investigations, and also the appointment of investigators to facilitate such preliminary investigations. Everybody is due a fair hearing and this piece of legislation will ensure that such is the case.

The Bill ensures the registration of nurses and midwives and also the registration of candidates for first-time registration with the board, and the re-registration of advance nurse and midwife practitioner posts. This also ensure very high standards.

As I stated at the outset of my contribution on the last occasion, this is a profession that for many years was taken for granted. It has evolved in recent times into a highly professional skilled job. I have often heard it said that nursing is not only a job but a vocation. I welcome the introduction of this legislation.

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