Joan Collins (Dublin South Central, Independents 4 Change) | Oireachtas source

I thank the Ceann Comhairle for selecting this Topical Issue matter. I am raising this issue on behalf of Migrant Nurses Ireland, which explained its members' plight at a presentation in the audiovisual room two weeks ago. The meeting was organised by Deputy Barry.

The issue of recruitment and retention remains a huge problem for the HSE. The Joint Committee on Autism discussed it as recently as today. As part of an international recruitment campaign, through the Department of Enterprise, Trade and Employment, the HSE introduced the general work employment permit scheme for care assistants from non-EU countries. At the time, it was agreed with the Department of Health that the minimum salary would be €27,000 per annum. There are approximately 3,000 people on the permit now. As part of the scheme, these workers are obliged to undertake a Quality and Qualifications Ireland, QQI, level 5 course for the role of healthcare assistant. This is despite the fact that many of the Indians on the scheme are qualified nurses whose qualification allows them to register as nurses with the Nursing and Midwifery Board of Ireland, NMBI, after a language test and adaptation course to the Irish health system. It is a bit mad that they are working as healthcare assistants even though they have that qualification.

The QQI courses cost up to €1,700 and the workers covers that expense. Will the State negotiate changing the conditions to allow these workers to be recognised and become healthcare assistant carers on the basis of their nursing qualifications and completion of an English language test and adaptation course for the Irish health system? It seems crazy that these nurses are overqualified. They have been kept in a low-pay and family reunification exclusion trap because they are mainly in the private sector earning €27,000 as a starting rate. The income threshold to qualify to bring over a spouse is €30,000 per annum, which puts them in a real quandary.

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