Aindrias Moynihan (Cork North West, Fianna Fail)
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534. To ask the Minister for Health the number of nurses that were removed from the active register for non-payment of a registration fee who have sought to be reinstated; the number that have requested refunds; the number of refunds that have been approved; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [24711/17]

Simon Harris (Wicklow, Fine Gael)
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The Department has received a report on the matter from the Nursing and Midwifery Board of Ireland (NMBI).

The NMBI 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 8 March 2017 indicated that the Board would consider removals from the register at its meeting on 21st March. Registrants were informed that the fee must be paid with immediate effect to avoid removal.

Of those who were removed from the Register, the NMBI advised that to date a total of 1,123 (almost 50% of those removed) have regularised their registration status with NMBI. This figure includes:

- 737 nurses and midwives who paid a restoration fee; and

- 237 were granted a waiver from the restoration to register fee - in this regard, 340 nurses and midwives applied for such a waiver;

- 149 nurses and midwives had their nurses placed on the inactive file.