Michael McCarthy (Cork South West, Labour)
Link to this: Individually | In context | Oireachtas source

308. To ask the Minister for Health if his attention has been drawn to concerns regarding a decision by the Nursing and Midwifery Board of Ireland to increase the annual retention fee for 2015; the action that will be taken to address these concerns; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [37660/14]

Clare Daly (Dublin North, United Left)
Link to this: Individually | In context | Oireachtas source

315. To ask the Minister for Health if he will reverse the fee hikes imposed by the Nursing and Midwifery Board of Ireland which are placing severe pressure on nurses and midwifes to practice against the backdrop of falling pay. [37729/14]

Michael McGrath (Cork South Central, Fianna Fail)
Link to this: Individually | In context | Oireachtas source

389. To ask the Minister for Health his views on a matter raised in correspondence (details supplied); and if he will make a statement on the matter. [38252/14]

Michael Healy-Rae (Kerry South, Independent)
Link to this: Individually | In context | Oireachtas source

395. To ask the Minister for Health if he will not increase the annual retention fee by 50% from January 2015; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [38283/14]

Leo Varadkar (Dublin West, Fine Gael)
Link to this: Individually | In context | Oireachtas source

I propose to take Questions Nos. 308, 315, 389 and 395 together.

A new Nurses and Midwives Act was passed into legislation in 2011. The Act provides, inter alia, for the protection of the public in its dealings with nurses and midwives and the enhancement of their high standards of professional education and competencies. The Department of Health is responsible for oversight of the governance of the Nursing and Midwifery Board of Ireland (NMBI). The Department has no role in setting or approving registration fees.

The Board is an independent body, answerable to the Oireachtas, with the responsibility to ensure that it has the financial capacity to undertake all its legal obligations. The cost of enacting the additional requirements under the Nurses and Midwives Act 20141 was set out in the Regulatory Impact Analysis that was carried out prior to the enactment of the legislation. These costs include an enhanced regulatory process with supporting systems for continued professional development and certain education and training requirements for the professions.

It was also made clear at the time of the legislation that the Board would continue to be self-funding and needed to plan and cost how it would fulfil its legal obligations. Following detailed negotiations with the Executive and Board members in 2013 it was agreed in October 2013 that an initial once-off sum of €1.6m would be granted by the Department to the Board to cover 2013/2014 costs, but that the Board would have to increase its income in 2015 to undertake its commitments in the legislation. The Board of the NMBI made the decision to increase the annual registration fee at its meeting on 17th September, 2014. A helpline, email address and website information page have been made available by the NMBI to provide clarification for registrants who may have queries on this matter.