Finian McGrath (Dublin North Central, Independent)
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144. To ask the Minister for Health to support St. Joseph's Association for the Intellectually Disabled in Portrane, County Dublin, in its campaign against the chronic shortage of nursing staff; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [3367/16]

Leo Varadkar (Dublin West, Fine Gael)
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There is an international nursing and medical manpower shortage, leading to difficulties in recruiting nurses, doctors and consultants. This difficulty is being experienced by other English speaking countries including the UK, Australia, and Canada. Notwithstanding this, the HSE Census returns for the end of November 2015 show that we have over 880 more nurses employed in the public health services than a year ago.

Recruitment of additional nurses is the subject of considerable ongoing activity by the HSE and voluntary hospitals. Recruitment campaigns are underway in Ireland and abroad. This includes recent and ongoing national and local interviewing of General Nurses, Mental Health, Intellectual Disability, Registered Children's Nurses and Midwives.

A number of measures have been put in place to support recruitment of nurses from abroad. In 2015 the HSE initiated a targeted international recruitment drive. This focused initially on Irish trained nurses who left for the UK during the moratorium and has now been expanded to countries further afield. It also facilitated seven adaptation programmes and made 405 places available to the nursing home sector for overseas nurses. Further adaptation courses are being provided in 2016 for nurses who are required to complete a course prior to registration. The NMBI have approved, on a pilot basis until June 2016, a new aptitude test with the RCSI as an alternative method to assess candidates for registration. Nurses are currently being advised of the availability of this test. The first theory test for 22 people took place on the 5 December 2015 with the practice tests on the 12/13 December and repeats on the 7 January 2016. All candidates were successful between the 2 practical tests. Further tests are planned by RCSI in January, February and March, with 67 prospective nurses having expressed an interest in taking the test.

Consideration of pay rates for fourth year student nurses undertaking the 36 week clinical placement and whether the placement should attract incremental credit was provided for in a Chairman's Note to the Lansdowne Road Agreement. In the context of supporting recruitment and retention, the Department of Health and the HSE with the relevant nursing unions considered these issues at the Workplace Relations Commission on 14 December, 2015. Following further engagement between the relevant parties, a Joint Document encompassing proposals on the rate of pay for the placement and on granting incremental credit for the placement was finalised on 23 December. The Joint Document was submitted to my Department for consideration. Any changes to the rate of pay and the treatment of the placement as regards incremental credit will also be subject to the approval of the Department of Public Expenditure and Reform.

All of the measures mentioned above will facilitate the recruitment and retention of nursing staff at all grades and disciplines within the Irish health service.