asked the Minister for Health if he will make a statement on the problem of the large number of prospective student nurses who cannot now gain admission to any of the voluntary teaching hospitals.
Ceisteanna—Questions. Oral Answers. - Student Nurses.
3.
This is not a new problem. We have always had a big demand from young girls wishing to train as nurses, a much greater demand than the training facilities available in the country can cope with. The problem is, of course, accentuated in recent times because of the general problem of employment for school leavers.
There has been no reduction in the number of places available in our nurse training schools. Normally about 1,000 general nurses qualify each year, which is far greater than the number required for the normal staffing of our health services. Because of factors such as the development of the health services, reduction in the number of working hours and nurses opting to emigrate after qualification, there has hitherto been no serious problem of oversupply of nurses. There is some evidence at present of newly qualified nurses finding it difficult to obtain employment and we will probably need to look more closely at this situation with a view to gearing our training facilities more closely to our actual needs.
Is the Minister aware of the many representations that have been made to every Deputy by the frustrated parents of young people in regard to training facilities? I would remind the Minister that there is plenty of work for trained nurses abroad. Would the Minister try to alleviate the situation?
I do not know what can be done at present. As I said, about 1,000 general nurses qualify each year, which is far greater than the number needed. I appreciate the problem described by the Deputy. It is one with which all of us have to try to cope. We should not be expected to train more nurses than we need when there are not sufficient places for prospective student nurses who want to become fully qualified. It is a problem and the working party on nursing are dealing with it at present. I have not yet received a report from them.
Is the Minister aware that there is a need for trained nurses in other countries? We would be doing an excellent job if we had the facilities to train them.