13 April 2005
Dr. Henry: I thank Senator Norris for sharing his time. I welcome the Minister of State at the Department of the Environment, Heritage and Local Government, Deputy Batt O'Keeffe.
I wish to raise the issue of those migrant workers, doctors and nurses, who come to Ireland at our invitation on working visas to prop up the health service. Without them, we would be unable to run it. Over the years, I have frequently raised the issue of the difficulties these workers have in bringing relations to Ireland for short visits such as weddings, christenings or for Christmas. It is both humiliating for them and for me that I have to appeal to the Department of Justice, Equality and Law Reform for people, who are often distinguished individuals in their own countries, to be allowed into Ireland for several days. On one occasion I had to ask for a Nigerian Minister to be given a 24 hour visa to see his son receive his degree from the Royal College of Physicians. The man was in London and simply wanted to be in Ireland for only one day. Why would a Nigerian Minister want to stay in Ireland? These situations arise over and over again. These workers are indispensable to the health service and it is disgraceful they are treated in this manner.
As my services in this area had not been sought for approximately a year, I thought the situation had improved. However, that is not the case. In today's Medicine Weekly I read the following, under the heading "Visas solution for non-EU doctors":
Non-EU doctors are requesting a further meeting with the Department of Justice to resolve the ongoing difficulties with short-term visas for family members.
Last year the IMO Non-EU Doctors Advisory Committee agreed an interim process with the Department, where members who were having difficulty securing holiday visas for family members could communicate with Department officials through a dedicated e-mail service.
However, Committee Chairperson Mr Syed Jaffry said this was only intended to be a short-term measure and it was now time to find a more long-term resolution to the problem.
"The Department of Justice is acting with a single-track mind," Mr Jaffry said. "They are not willing to change anything and want to stay where they are. But we are planning another meeting to express our dissatisfaction with the system and ask for suggestions on how to improve it."
This is terrible. Similar cases to the one I described earlier occur all the time. One case involves a girl from China who is doing vital research work in St. James's Hospital. When her husband wanted to come to this country for Christmas with their son it was thought that he would never return even though he had an excellent job in his home country. St. James's Hospital was worried that the girl would return to China with the research uncompleted.
I am aware of another case where a man is seeking citizenship. He has filled a post in the medical service for 14 years, a post we have nobody else to fill. One would think that after 14 years the man concerned could get some type of advice as to why he is not granted citizenship. Of course, the Department is not obliged to state why citizenship is not being granted but what more can the man do? He has done all the required examinations and he is vital to this country.
Another matter which has been brought to my attention is also covered in Medicine Weekly. It is a problem I understood had been resolved. We undertake massive recruiting drives in the Far East, particularly in India, Pakistan and Malaysia, and we recruit some of the best personnel. We bring them to jobs in this country which are supposed to last for two years. A number of anaesthetists are now particularly aggrieved. They were told they would not have to sit the temporary registration assessment scheme examination. In fact, they were warned not to take it. They were instead "subjected to a rigorous appraisal by the various consultants with whom we were working". They continue: "Nearly every one of the doctors recruited to work in Ireland under section 7.6 have extremely healthy appraisals submitted to the Medical Council by these senior colleagues."
They came to this country on the understanding that they did not have to take the TRAS examination. However, after a number of years the council then said they had to take the examination. Why were they told they were suitable to work here without taking the examination only for them to discover a few years later that they must take the examination? They have been working satisfactorily here for a number of years. The Department will have to establish clarity between it and the Medical Council before bringing people to this country under what could be described as false pretences.
More than money is a problem with regard to the rights of migrant workers in this country. There must be clarity so this country is not seen internationally as using and abusing people. The same has happened with the nursing profession. Nurses, particularly Filipino nurses, were told their spouses would be allowed to come to this country and work. We cannot run the health service without these nurses. However, numerous nurses have told me that when their husbands tried to get work permits they were refused.
There are many issues to be addressed by the Minister. People we have enticed to this country are being treated as badly as those who could be described as having come here to further their own positions.
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