The Minister for Health and Children Mr Martin has marked the publication of a report supporting cultural diversity in the health services.
The unveiling of the Report on Cultural Diversity in the Healthcare Sectorin Cork comes as figures show over one-third of doctors working in Irish hospitals are from minority ethnic backgrounds.
Of about 3,500 non-consultant hospital doctors working in the public health service, about 1,500 are non-EU doctors, making up over 60 per cent of registrars.
In nursing, figures for the year ending November 2001 recorded 3,098 non-nationals working in the nursing profession in Ireland, constituting a "significant part of the nursing workforce".
Mr Martin said he recognised "the enormous value that overseas recruitment brings over a wide range of services and supported the development of effective recruitment strategies in partnership with health service employers".
The report discusses meeting the challenge of cultural diversity in the Irish healthcare sector and the development of good practice and policy guidelines in healthcare organisations.
It also says there is a need to dispel misconceptions about the impact of people from minority ethnic backgrounds on healthcare resources and recommends strategies tailored to the needs of minority ethnic groups, such as the Traveller Health national strategy.
The report and a poster campaign are part of the Government's National Anti-Racism Awareness Programme announced by the Taoiseach last October.