Paul Connaughton Snr (Galway East, Fine Gael)
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Question 151: To ask the Tánaiste and Minister for Health and Children if her attention has been drawn to the fact that due to regulations under the care and welfare regulations 1993, a nurse cannot be recognised as a nurse in charge in a nursing home unless they have three years' experience in a nursing home; if her attention has further been drawn to the fact that there are many persons who have major nursing qualifications who would be immediately suitable for this position but are debarred due to this regulation; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [34115/04]

Seán Power (Kildare South, Fianna Fail)
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The Nursing Home (Care and Welfare) Regulations 1993 set down the requirements for staffing within a registered nursing home. Article 10.2 states: "Subject to article 10.3, the post of person in charge shall be full-time and the person in charge shall be a nurse with a minimum of three years appropriate post registration experience within the previous 6 years." The experience of the person in charge is examined by the director of nursing involved with the inspection teams for nursing homes.

These regulations allows for nurses from different disciplines to qualify for such a position provided that their experience is relevant, for example, a public health nurse could qualify on the basis that many of her day to day patients were elderly. However, ideally such experience should include care for older people, in any setting, or care of people with Alzheimer's disease.

When these regulations were drafted many stakeholders were consulted, including An Bórd Altranais, and the wording reflects the combined views of these stakeholders. It is the opinion of my Department that this wording is sufficiently broad and at the same time focused on its essential purpose of ensuring that the persons in charge in nursing homes will be suitably qualified to discharge the responsibilities entrusted to them.