Simon Harris (Wicklow, Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

To answer the Deputy's question directly, I am clear that the commitment in the agreement is to have 1,208 additional nurses, not just recruits, working in the Irish public health service.

Deputy Louise O'Reilly is correct in saying we need to do everything we can to keep our nurse graduates here. It is also right though, and indeed moral, that as a country we would go to some of the destinations where many of our best and brightest left to go to during the economic recession, meet them, make it easier for them to come home and let them know about the opportunities. Certainly, we are getting a positive response in relation to that. I am also grateful that the INMO has offered to assist with that.

In terms of nurse numbers, on 30 April 2015 there were 35,080 whole-time equivalent nurses working in the Irish health service. Exactly one year later, there were 35,924. On 31 March this year, there were 36,436 and on 30 April this year, 36,549. I am the first to acknowledge we have a way to go to get back to the levels we were at but we are genuinely making significant progress.

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