Dáil Éireann debate -
Tuesday, 16 Jun 1998

Vol. 492 No. 4

Written Answers. - Nurse Training.

Ivor Callely

Question:

39 Mr. Callely asked the Minister for Health and Children the consideration, if any, he has given to the criteria for entry to nurse training; the criteria, if any, applicable in other countries; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [14163/98]

Minister for Health and Children (Mr. Cowen)

Presumably the Deputy is referring to the educational requirements for entry to pre-registration nursing education and training.

The educational requirements for entry to the nursing registration-diploma programmes are standard. In order to be eligible, applicants must possess the leaving certificate, or its equivalent, in the following six subjects: Irish — other than Foundation level; English; Mathematics — other than Foundation level; one other language; a laboratory science subject, and one other subject. Certain subject combinations are not permitted, and there are certain restrictions on the presentation of branches of home economics.

As regards the grades, the requirements are as follows: a minimum grade of C/C3 in higher level papers in any two of the six subjects that I have specified and a minimum of grade D/D3 in ordinary or higher level papers in the other four subjects must be achieved in the leaving certificate.

The subjects and grades required may be accumulated over not more than two sittings of the leaving certificate. Additional credit of 10 per cent of the interview mark is awarded to applicants who satisfy the leaving certificate requirement in a single sitting. The Deputy will be interested to note, however, that applicants aged 24 years or over on 15 October who do not possess the educational requirements are also eligible for consideration.

The educational requirements are based on the National University of Ireland matriculation registration requirement. This arises from the fact that the first nursing registration-programme commenced at Univesity College Hospital Galway, in association with the National University of Ireland, Galway in 1994. I am aware that while the non-NUI third level institutions involved in the delivery of the programmes have agreed to apply the NUI requirement, some of them would prefer to apply their own admissions criteria for diploma courses, which do not include a third language requirement. I am also aware that school guidance counsellors would favour such an arrangement.

The Commission on Nursing is currently examining the whole area of pre-registration nursing education and training, including the criteria and selection procedures for entry to training. It is likely that this will form a central part of the commission's final report, which is expected later this year. It would be my firm intention to review the present arrangements, in consultation with the relevant interest groups, in the light of the commission's recommendations.

As regards the criteria applied in other countries, I am aware that the British teaching hospitals, for instance, invite applications from Irish school leavers who can satisfy a lower leaving certificate standard than that currently in force here.