Mick Barry (Cork North Central, Solidarity) | Oireachtas source

The Indian nurses work here as healthcare assistants in private nursing homes for two years. At the end of the two years, they have to do the QQI level 5 qualification. That takes another eight months. These are nurses. They are qualified way above QQI level 5. They have already done that, and way more, so why force them to jump through that particular hoop? Then, to add insult to injury, the Government is asking them to pay for it out of their own pocket. They are already to the pin of their collar with the rents in this country, and then they are being asked them to pay, out of their own pocket, for a qualification that they already have the equivalent of and more. It can cost €1,700 for the QQI level 5 qualification.

The Government has two options here, in my opinion. The first is that it waives the demand, and I think that is the preferred option of the nurses. It should be waived. However, if the Government is not prepared to do that, the State should at least have the decency to fund those courses rather than force the nurses, who are giving blood, sweat and tears in providing a vital service, to dig into their own pockets.

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