05 October 2005
Dr. Henry: I welcome the Minister of State, Deputy Brian Lenihan, to the House. As he will be aware, an expert group on midwifery and children's nursing convened in September 2004. The primary objective of this group was to develop a comprehensive strategy for the future of midwifery and children's nursing education. The group reported in December 2004 and there can be few groups which have ever reported more quickly on such complex issues. I suspect, however, that it did so because it was aware of the serious situation regarding the lack of midwives and children's nurses in this country.
In 2002, general nursing, psychiatric nursing and nursing for those with intellectual disabilities was made a four-year degree course in some of our universities. This meant that it looked far less attractive to go into midwifery and children's nursing after doing a degree course than it had been in the past. This group was examining what recommendations should be made concerning the teaching of midwifery and children's nursing. There was a severe shortage in both nursing categories.
The expert group's main recommendations sought a four-year degree course in midwifery and a four and a half-year course in general and children's nursing. It was recommended that such courses start in September 2005 by direct entry to third level institutions. It was recognised that making nursing a degree level qualification had raised standards substantially. NUI, Galway, NUI, Cork, the University of Limerick, UCD and Trinity College were nominated as institutions where midwifery could be studied. This plan was to be associated with the relevant health service providers. Children's nursing was proposed for UCD, Trinity College and NUI, Cork also in conjunction with the relevant health service providers.
A memorandum of understanding was to have been drawn up with the universities. It was reckoned that this would take approximately eight months because they would have to know what finances were available to recruit staff and so forth. It was hoped that these courses would be in place this year. However, we are still in the same position as we were in December 2004. We still have a situation where, in order to obtain a registered midwifery degree, one must do a fouryear course as a general nurse followed by two years to become a midwife. The expert group recommended that if this was to continue, the latter period should be cut to 18 months and, instead of having to do another two years for children's nursing, it should be one year.
We do not seem to be any further on than we were at the end of last year. The Tanaiste and Minister for Health and Children has told the Irish Nurses Organisation that she would ensure the necessary funding would be written into the Book of Estimates, but all this is rather vague. I admit that I have an interest as a member of the midwifery committee of the Rotunda Hospital, as well as being on that hospital's board. We have a really serious situation regarding the lack of midwives. One cannot tell babies to put off being born. Unfortunately, that is an impossibility.
At the same time, there is a great shortage of specialised children's nurses. From time to time, one hears that children's investigations and operations are put off. The final recommendation of the expert group's 51 recommendations reads:
"The expert group recommends that a national committee, chaired by the Department of Health and Children, be established to oversee the implementation of the recommendations set out in this report." If that does not happen immediately, we will not be in a position to have an intake for these courses if they are set up in 2006. I look forward to hearing what the Minister of State has to say on what the Department has done about these recommendations.
Dr. Henry: I thank the Minister of State for his reply. I ask him to remind the Tanaiste that the population has increased greatly, the birth rate is increasing and women need assistance when giving birth. It is not right to take midwives from developing countries. I am sure neither he nor the Tanaiste would like to see that practice continue.
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