Billy Kelleher (Cork North Central, Fianna Fail) | Oireachtas source

Over the past few months we have seen the nursing organisations express great concern at the increase in the retention fee by the nursing board, from €100 to €150. This has been an ongoing situation for some time and has been highlighted by political parties, by advocacy groups, patient groups and the nursing organisations. A 50% increase in any fee is an extraordinary demand, particularly when coupled with the fact that payment is mandatory for registration. The fee is payable to the registration board and under law nurses must register with the board. Therefore, nurses have no choice. If they want to practice in this country, they must register with the board. No reason or rationale was provided for the increase in the fee, other than that the board says it must continue with significant changes in the fitness to practise area, which include the introduction of a new preliminary proceedings committee, and the fact that it needs to upgrade its systems as continuing professional development will become a mandatory requirement for nurses and midwives. This is the only reason the board has give for increasing the registration fee from €100 to €150.

We all know that people on front-line services are under extraordinary pressure in delivering health care to patients. The least that should happen is that there should be engagement between the board and the organisations representing the nurses to ensure we have a registration system that is fair, professional and affordable. It is unacceptable that any fee could be increased by 50% without reason.

Our straight talking Minister for Health claims he "says it as he sees it". On this occasion, he wrote to the board asking it to engage with the nursing organisations. However, there has been no activity from either the Minister or the board in an effort to provide engagement. Will the Tánaiste therefore take up the cudgel for the nursing organisations and ask the board to engage in a meaningful way with them?

See this speech in context