Colm Burke (Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

I thank the Minister for coming into the House to deal with this matter. The issue I raise concerns the training courses available for nurses who have trained abroad but who now wish to return here. I am led to believe that the number of courses available in recent years has been cut back and that the number available is inadequate. Currently, Irish nursing homes have over 500 vacancies for nurses and they are finding it difficult to recruit nurses to fill those vacancies. Some nurses who want to return are finding it difficult to go on the adaption courses and unless they do that, they cannot become registered. There is also an issue in regard to delays in registering with An Bord Altranais, but that is a different issue.