Dublin South West TD, Seán Crowe, has challenged the increase in the Nursing and Midwifery Board of Ireland’s (NMBI) registration fee from €100 to €150.
Crowe has described the increase as scandalous and that it is a “nursing property charge.”
Deputy Seán Crowe said:
“It is agreed by most people that the work undertaken by nurses and midwives is clearly of great importance. Many are working under huge strains, particularly because of the extra demands on the health services due to the reduction in the numbers of nurses and Ireland’s increasing birth rate.
“Minister Varadkar seems to be adopting a Pontius Pilate approach to the registration debacle by wringing his hands in anguish but doing little else
“This latest registration now mean that’s the registration has increased 80% in past two years. This is in stark contrast to the annual registration fee for other health professionals, which is set at €100 and is not being reviewed at this time.
“The Minister for Health has washed his hands of this situation and simply said that the Department has no role in setting or approving registration fees.
“This increase is galling for nurses because it is due to a debt on a trophy property in Blackrock County Dublin, and it has now become a nursing property charge.
“This additional charge is wrong and should be scrapped.
“The nursing profession has endured huge challenges and huge changes over the last number of years.
“They endured cuts to salaries and services and have combined with other professionals to hold together a health service that has been under sustained attack from successive governments.
“I support the Irish Nurses and Midwives Organisation, SIPTU, and the Psychiatric Nurses Association in their opposition to this increase.
“The Health Minister needs to get off the fence and take a role in the setting and approving of registration fees. If the Minister feels further legislation is required, so that acceptable levels of registration charges can be ensured, he needs to introduce this legislation without delay.
“The Nursing and Midwifery Board needs to reduce the registration fee so that hardworking nurses and midwives do not have to deal with another ‘property charge’.
“This is a charge that many cannot afford and which will exact further financial strains on their already shrinking take home pay.”