The Department of Labor and Employment Secretary Patricia A. Sto. Tomas said that that implementation of the new policies in Ireland, allowed some 2,000 Filipino caregivers in Ireland to undergo hospital training as nurses following the efforts of the Philippine Embassy officials in London to reach out and negotiate with the Irish government.

Sto. Tomas also said that according to a report from Assistant Secretary Maria Zenaida Collinson of the Department of Foreign Affairs, not only those overseas Filipino workers (OFWs) in Ireland will be benefited by the new policy as well as that their spouses would also be allowed to work in this country.

According to Sto. Tomas, the new immigration and employment policies of Ireland is the highlight in the effort Philippine Embassy in London to promote the welfare of OFWs and their families in Ireland. She also expressed gratitude to the Irish government for the employment opportunities given to the OFWs.

"We in the Department of Labor and Employment (DOLE) express our deep appreciation of the Irish government and the Filipino officials in London for their active involvement in promoting and safeguarding the rights and welfare of the OFWs in Ireland," Sto. Tomas said.

Sto. Tomas also said that the Philippine Embassy based in London plays an important part in arranging the groundwork in improving the policies for OFWs in Ireland. The secretary also emphasize the effort of the embassy officials in raising the concerns of OFWs in Ireland in their bilateral meetings with Irish officials during the Consular Outreach Program in Dublin of the embassy held last March.      

Through the new Irish immigrations policies, spouses of OFWs in Ireland will be issued with work permits, this would usher family reunification for many Filipinos in this country.

Prior to this, spouses of OFWs in Ireland could not find work in this country, which discouraged the OFWs to bring their spouses and children to Ireland.

Aside from that, the Irish government also released a new procedure for foreign healthcare workers to allow them to obtain working visas. If the Irish Nursing Board found them qualified, they would be allowed to take up an adaptation program for nursing in a training hospital.

Sto. Tomas said that the new scheme would benefit about 2,000 Filipino caregivers in Irish nursing homes who have been classified as under-board nurses in Ireland.

The DOLE secretary said that the new developments in Ireland showed that OFWs in this country also receive the same rights and privileges as the Irish people indicating that the country would continue to be a lucrative place for Filipino professionals and highly skilled workers.