asked the Minister for Health if he will make representations to his opposite number in Britain with a view to ensuring that Irish girls who fail their nursing examinations in British teaching hospitals are fully informed as to the reasons for such failure so that they may be in a position successfully to repeat the examinations.

31.

asked the Minister for Health the steps he is taking to provide sufficient places in Irish hospitals to cater for the demand for positions as trainee nurses and to obviate the necessity for Irish girls to emigrate to receive such training; and if he will make a statement on the matter.

32.

asked the Minister for Health the number of applications received by each of the regional health boards for positions as trainee nurses; and the number who were appointed in each area in the years 1975, 1976 and 1977.

33.

asked the Minister for Health if he will state, in respect of the most recent period for which figures are available, the number of girls who, due to inability to get trainee nursing positions in this country, were obliged to seek similar positions in Britain; and the number who returned home from that country on completion of their training.

With the permission of the Ceann Comhairle, I propose to take Questions Nos. 30 to 33 inclusive, together. There are some, 1,800 places in the nurse training schools in this country for general nursing and for psychiatric nursing. Most of the training in general nursing is carried out in the voluntary hospitals. The number of places available is considered sufficient to meet the needs of the nursing services in this country.

There is very keen competition for places in the nurse training schools specially those for general nursing and some applicants who are not successful in getting places here go to the United Kingdom to do training. Some of the nurses who train here emigrate after completion of their training and equally some nurses who are trained elsewhere subsequently return here to take up nursing.

The position is kept under review but, in general, there does not appear to be any need at the present time for increasing the number of training places. At present a working party are examining the role and education of nurses, including recruitment policies, and I expect to have a report from that working party by the end of the year.

Information is not available as to the number of girls who having failed to get places in nurse training schools in this country, go to the United Kingdom for training. I am informed that approximately 600 nurses originally registered in the United Kingdom applied in the past year for registration on the Irish register kept by An Bord Altranais. This does not necessarily mean that they took up nursing in this country but it does indicate that they were interested in applying for posts here.

As regards ensuring that Irish girls who fail their nursing examinations in British teaching hospitals are informed of the reasons for such failure, I do not consider that it would be appropriate for me to make representations on this matter. I have no reason to believe that these girls find it difficult to ascertain the reasons for their failure.

With the permission of the Ceann Comhairle, I propose to circulate with the Official Report a table showing, for each health board, the number of applications for nurse training received and the number of places available in each of the past three years.

Following is the statement:

Number of applications received and number of places available for nurse training in health board institutions (for general and psychiatric nurse training).

Surely the Minister is aware that the number of places available are totally inadequate for the very large number of girls who seek to undergo trainee nursing each year? The numbers are probably 100 applicants to every post available. In the circumstances does the Minister not see any opportunity of creating greater places for trainee nurses in the future rather than have those girls go to Britain.

The Deputy might agree that the number of training places probably would be related to the number of nurses we need here and not to the number of applicants. It would not be in any way logical to provide places for all those applying. In commonsense we must restrict the number of trainee places somewhat approximate to the number of nurses we need. I think that is reasonably adequate.

Does the Minister think it would be an advisable exercise in the schools to engage in career guidance to dissuade the large numbers of girls applying for these posts and in order to avoid so much disappointment and frustration?

There is probably something in that. As the Deputy is aware, this working party are at present reviewing the situation. When I get their report I would hope we would be able to deal with a number of the unsatisfactory aspects of the present situation. We all agree that the present situation is ridiculous in which, in order to get into a training school, a girl applies to them all.

Would the Minister apply the same criterion to medical school places?

Would the Minister arrange to have the facts of this sorry state of affairs conveyed to any potential candidates in the schools from now on?

I cannot hear the Deputy.

Would the Minister take steps to ensure that the facts of this sorry state of affairs are conveyed to the schools so that girls will know what are their chances of securing a post as a trainee nurse in this country?

Something might be done. I will talk to my colleague, the Minister for Education, about it.

Would the Minister consider providing incentives to girls to go into specialist aspects of nursing, such as geriatric nursing, where there are considerable shortages?

I imagine that all those matters will be dealt with in the report and I will consider them on its completion.