Shane Cassells (Meath West, Fianna Fail)
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95. To ask the Minister for Health the criteria for American and Australian qualified nurses to enter the health system here; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [27829/17]

Simon Harris (Wicklow, Fine Gael)
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I have received a report from the Nursing and Midwifery Board of Ireland (NMBI) on the issue raised by the Deputy. The NMBI have advised that:

Applicants who trained outside the EU/EEA are considered as Group 3 applicants for the purpose of applying for registration with NMBI. Each application is individually assessed to include a full review of the applicant's education and training programmes. This reviews includes all pre-registration and post registration nursing education programmes. The programmes are compared to Irish standards of education and training for nurses. American and Australian nurses must provide the following documents in advance of their application being individually assessed:

- Completed application form;

- Identity documents;

- Transcript(s) of training from their University/School of Nursing;

- Professional Employment Reference;

- Verification of registration and Good Standing from all Competent Authorities where they hold/held registration.

Some American and Australian applicants unfortunately do not meet NMBI standards and requirements in terms of the nursing programmes they undertook when compared to Irish standards and requirements. Many programmes fall significantly short of the hours required for registration with NMBI or to be offered a period of adaptation/aptitude test and unfortunately these applicants are refused registration. An applicant has the right to appeal this decision within 56 days of date on decision letter. American trained applicants who only hold an Associate Degree are advised in NMBI guidance documentation that they are not eligible to apply for registration with this qualification alone as it is only a two year programme and will not meet the criteria for registration. If an American applicant who holds an Associate Degree and has taken additional relevant studies wishes to apply, the NMBI will consider their application.

It may be of interest to the Deputy to learn that as of 12^thJune 2017, a total number of 283 individuals who undertook their training in the United States are registered on the Active Register with NMBI. The vast majority of these Registrants would have had to undertake either an adaption placement or aptitude test as a pre-requisite to registration.