Aindrias Moynihan (Cork North West, Fianna Fail)
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511. To ask the Minister for Health if his attention has been drawn to the fact that nurses were removed from the active register within two weeks of receipt of a final reminder notice to pay their annual retention fee, ARF, albeit that the reminder notice stated no action would be taken for 28 days following the date of issue from that final reminder; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [17655/17]

Aindrias Moynihan (Cork North West, Fianna Fail)
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512. To ask the Minister for Health the number of nurses that have been removed from the active register before the 28 day period from their final reminder notice date of 8 March 2017 had been reached; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [17656/17]

Aindrias Moynihan (Cork North West, Fianna Fail)
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513. To ask the Minister for Health if nurses who had been removed from the active register within 28 days of their final reminder notice are now reinstated; if those who were removed before the expiry of the 28-day period but not yet reinstated will be reinstated without penalty; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [17657/17]

Aindrias Moynihan (Cork North West, Fianna Fail)
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514. To ask the Minister for Health if those nurses who were forced to pay an additional €250 to be reinstated before the 28-day period of notice from their final reminder letter will be refunded the additional cost they were forced to incur to be reregistered [17658/17]

Simon Harris (Wicklow, Fine Gael)
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I propose to take Questions Nos. 511 to 514, inclusive, together.

I would like to thank the Deputy for raising this matter.

Section 38 of the Nurses and Midwives Act, 2011 enables the Board of the NMBI to charge such fees as may, from time to time, be determined by the Board - this includes a fee for the restoration of a person's name to the register. Section 77 of the 2011 Act allows the Board to remove a person's name from the register for non-payment of the annual retention fee (ARF). In that regard, this Section indicates that the Board may, not earlier than 28 days after the reminder has been sent, remove the nurse’s or midwife’s registration.

The NMBI have advised that a renewal notice and a reminder notice were issued to registrants on 6 November 2016 and 15 February 2017 respectively. Consideration of removal of names from the register is not considered by the Board until at least 28 days has elapsed from the date of the reminder notice. In addition, a final reminder was sent to registrants on 8 March 2017. The Board decided on 21 March 2017 that 2,258 people who had not paid their ARF would be removed from the register. The NMBI have advised that the final reminder which issued on 8th March 2017 indicated that the Board would consider removals from the register at its meeting on 21 March. Registrants were informed that the fee must be paid with immediate effect to avoid removal.

The Board has also confirmed that anyone who has been removed from the register must complete the restoration form and pay the restoration fee of €250. However, it should be noted that a person removed from the Register for non-payment of the ARF may apply to have the restoration fee waived. In that regard, the outcome of the following is considered:

- Review of the application and the personal circumstances of the individual at the time of the removal.

- Assessment, on an individual basis, as to whether the personal circumstances of the registrant, at the time of their removal from the Register, were of a serious and extenuating nature or whether there are humanitarian grounds upon which a decision to waive the restoration fee may be made.

Following assessment, the Director of Registry may decide to waive the restoration fee.