Colm Burke (Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

I thank the Minister of State for coming to the House to deal with this matter. At present, there are 23,500 people in private nursing homes under the fair deal scheme. These private nursing homes provide a valuable service to the country and excellent care to the many people who need it. While it is positive that we have reached full employment, the nursing home sector is experiencing difficulty recruiting people suitably qualified in the role of care assistant. Many care assistants are moving on to other jobs. The HSE has recruited a number of additional staff over the last three years in particular. As the Minister of State will be aware, the number of people employed in the HSE has increased from 99,000 to 110,000. Many of these additional staff were care assistants but they have moved on to other employment, including home care provision. In light of the nursing home sector's difficulty in recruiting people to fill vacant care assistant positions, it is seeking the introduction, on a pilot basis, of a visa programme for the sector, similar to that introduced for the meat industry and the horticulture sector, as well as a change in the current regulations in respect of visa requirements. I ask that serious consideration be given to this proposal.