Colm Burke (Fine Gael)

I join my colleagues in regard to the nursing home issue. There is a need for a debate to consider how we will move forward. In particular, as I have done previously, I wish to raise the issue of the number of private nursing homes which cannot get qualified nurses. At present, there are over 750 vacancies for qualified nurses in private nursing homes.

I was delighted to see the Minister for Health has taken up the point on the review of the nursing qualification, which is now an academic qualification although it was not ten or 15 years ago. People who come through the college system are looking for something more challenging when they qualify, hence we do not have a huge number applying for jobs in nursing homes. We need to devise an educational structure that gives a qualification to people to work as nurses in nursing homes. For example, there are many care assistants who are very good in regard to the care and management of elderly people but who are not given recognition.

I hope the review of the nursing training programme will take into account the need for a dedicated course to educate people in regard to elder care, which is an area that will grow. At present, we have more than 560,000 people over 65 and this will grow to over 1 million in the next 20 years. If we are to have a debate on the matter, I ask that we would include this element.