Paul Murphy urges registration for health workers in direct provision
Paul Murphy spoke on 26 Mar 2020, moving amendments 42–47 to allow qualified health professionals living in direct provision to apply for registration and assist in the COVID-19 response. He argued that talented doctors, midwives, nurses and other qualified staff in direct provision should be able to register and be fast-tracked where necessary.
Amendments proposed
The deputy moved amendments 42 to 47 to ensure that qualified people living in direct provision who trained outside the state can apply for registration across a range of medical specialties. He stressed the appeal for assistance during the emergency is not limited by citizenship or origin and that these amendments would seek to make sure such people can be registered and deployed.
Direct provision and health risk
He warned of the urgent health danger posed by cramped direct provision centres where self-isolation is not possible. He noted a government proposal for an off-site isolation centre on a test basis but said this was not ultimately satisfactory and argued the centres should be cleared, as had been done with homeless hubs, and residents moved into other properties.
Access and practical concerns
The deputy asked for assurances on how registration barriers for people in direct provision could be resolved quickly, noting many residents lack means to navigate application processes. He sought information and practical measures to make registration easier so their talents could be brought to bear in the fight against the coronavirus.
Ministerial reply on registration routes
The minister responded that the emergency legislation focuses on restoring previously registered practitioners to the Irish registers quickly and safely. The minister also said regulators do not impose restrictions related to citizenship, asylum or immigration status and that regular routes exist for recognition of third-country qualifications, including for people in direct provision, and offered to correspond with the deputies on practical support.
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Deputy Murphy is on his feet, yes. I move amendments 42 to 47. They all have effectively the same purpose, which is that for all these range of medical specialities from doctors, midwives, nurses, etc., that effectively we make sure that qualified people who are living in direct provision would be able to apply for registration and be registered, where there is currently a problem, as I understand it, that those who have qualified outside the state may be in direct provision are not currently eligible to be registered. Obviously, this is a time when we're putting out an appeal for anybody who possibly can to assist. I don't think this appeal is meant narrowly for people who currently have Irish citizenship or originally from Ireland or whatever, it's for anyone who can assist. And we currently have very well qualified, very talented people who could be assisting us, who are currently living in direct provision, and these amendments would seek to make sure that they can register. Obviously, if the Minister can give an assurance that this will be done in a different way, I'm happy to accept that assurance. I'll just make an additional point while I'm speaking on the question of direct provision, which is that I think we need to urgently address the real danger in terms of health posed by crammed direct provision centres where self-isolation is not possible. I understand that the latest proposal from the government is that an off-site isolation centre will be set up, I think, on a kind of a test basis, but it doesn't seem to me to be an ultimately satisfactory solution. I think we need to clear these centres as we need to clear the homeless hubs and get people into what are currently making property so they can. I want to thank deputies for putting down these amendments, and I do indeed see what you're trying to achieve, and I want to try and give you some reassurances and information in that regard. I suppose the first point to make is to remind ourselves what we're trying to do in this emergency legislation. What we're trying to do is we're trying to remove any barriers to the rapid restoration of qualified and experienced health professionals who had temporarily or permanently left the register of the Irish regulator. So whichever regulator it is, if you had been on it, we're trying to help you get back on it as quickly as we can, because your qualifications have already been recognised in this country, you've worked in this country, and we just want to get you back to work as quickly as you can. And as you say, we're overwhelmed by the many generous offers of people in that regard. The HSE had identified that retired health professionals would be ideal candidates to be brought back into the workforce, as they're the ones who are obviously able to hit the ground running. They'll be very familiar with the Irish processes. So the focus of this legislation is to facilitate the restoration of practitioners to the Irish registers in a fast and safe way. But I do want to recognise, before I run out of time, that there are other health professionals here in this country, as Deputy Murphy and Smith and O'Reilly mentioned, who are not yet on a professional register and who are keen to contribute in their chosen fields in the fight against COVID-19. And one such group is people who are in direct provision in the state, and we want them. And we want them and we need them. We need everybody we can to help us. Thank you, Minister. So there are regular routes that people can apply. Thank you very much. Amendment 42, then, deputies. I think the Minister gets to come back further, because I'd just like more information, if possible, about how this can be resolved. Because obviously people in direct provision, they're not people with means, generally speaking. And so how this can quickly be resolved, and these people's talents can be brought to bear in the fight against the coronavirus. There is no requirements right in the bill, because people in direct provision already have the right. The perception, if such exists, that someone living in direct provision is precluded from applying to a register as a health professional is entirely mistaken. I'm advised that none of our health regulators impose any restrictions in relation to citizenship, asylum status, immigration status, and any health professional can make an application to be registered. And their application will be judged solely on their qualifications and merits by the relevant regulator. I'm happy to talk to the deputies, though, about that issue of how we help people, if not have means, to make that process easier and make that information available to them. All of the regulators provide routes for the recognition of third country qualifications. And these can be used by persons with non-Irish qualifications, whether they're in direct provision or not. So my message to people is there is another route. This bill is about helping people who have already been on a register get back on it. But there is absolutely a route for people with third country qualifications, including those in direct provision. And I'll correspond with the three deputies in relation to that.
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