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Dáil Éireann debate -
Thursday, 5 Mar 1998

Vol. 488 No. 3

Written Answers - Nursing Education.

Paul McGrath

Question:

78 Mr. McGrath asked the Minister for Health and Children if he will give details of proposals regarding the establishment of a school of nursing in the midlands; the expected start up date; the number of students to be enrolled in years one, two and three; the venue for the academic module of these courses; and the locations of the administration and tutorial offices for this project. [6088/98]

I am making funding available to the Midland Health Board this year to enable it develop a new regional school of general nursing, which will be located in Tullamore General Hospital. The establishment of the new school will facilitate the recruitment of staff for the Midland Health Board's nursing services. It will also enhance the capacity of the board to provide continuing education and training opportunities for its nursing staff.

The Midland Health Board is currently engaged in discussions with An Bord Altranais and Athlone Institute of Technology with a view to the new school having an initial intake of 20 student nurses to the general nursing registration/diploma programme in the autumn. When the new school is fully operational, there will be a total of 60 students on the programme at any one time. This will be in addition to the new nursing and other staff that will be appointed to the school in Tullamore.
As the Midland Health Board has already forged close links with Athlone Institute of Technology, it is proposed that the board will work in partnership with the Institute in the development and delivery of the registration/diploma programme for student nurses. The location for the delivery of the third-level lectures component of the programme is the subject of ongoing discussions between the board and the institute.
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