SIPTU has written to An Bord Altranais requesting an urgent meeting to discuss its decision to increase the annual registration fee for nurses and midwives from the 1st January 2014. Nurses and Midwives are currently receiving retention fee notices from An Bord Altranais, the regulatory body for the nursing profession, for 2014. The annual registration fee is increasing from €88 to €100. All nurses and midwives must be registered with An Bord Altranais in order to practice their profession in Ireland.SIPTU Nursing Sector Organiser, Kevin Figgis, said: “We have outlined in the strongest terms to An Bord Altranais the concerns of our members with its decision to increase registration fees by 14%. We are deeply concerned that there was no opportunity afforded to the union to represent the views of our members prior to this decision.” “Our members have suffered significant financial reductions over the past number of years including pay cuts, the imposition of levies and the Universal Social Charge. They are not in a position to pay an increased fee to An Bord Altranais. SIPTU is seeking an urgent meeting with representatives of An Bord Altranais to request that this decision is reviewed immediately.”Kevin Figgis added: “An Bord Altranais confirms that some 82,576 nurses and midwives are registered with it. Over 65,415 registered on an active register and the remainder on an inactive register. Clarification is required to establish why such a high percentage increase to registration fees is being requested from nurses and midwives and what will it be used for.”
SIPTU seeks meeting with An Bord Altranais over increase to registration fee
