I propose to take Questions Nos. 216 and 217 together.
I am disappointed at the low level of uptake of places on the psychiatric nursing registration-diploma programme this year. Last January, when announcing details of the arrangements for this year's competitions I specifically referred to psychiatric nursing as a rewarding and worthwhile career, and to the substantial increase in the number of training places available in that discipline. The same message was conveyed by my Department to educational correspondents of the national newspapers and to schools guidance counsellors throughout the country, as part of a concerted recruitment drive.
Despite the efforts to raise the profile of psychiatric nursing, particularly among school leaving students, only 92 of the 201 places available on the psychiatric nursing registration diploma programme were filled this year.
In the light of this disappointing outcome, I believe that all of the relevant agencies need to redouble the efforts to attract more entrants to psychiatric nursing training. We have a declining school leaving population who have a greater range of third level courses to choose from than ever before. This is the environment in which we have to compete for student nurses.
As a first step, a seminar the issues in relation to the recruitment of students to psychiatric nursing and to make recommendations on future action will be held this Friday, 23 October 1998. All agencies involved in the provision of psychiatric nursing education and training will be represented at this seminar, which is being organised by my Department. An Bord Altranais has also been invited to send representatives.
My Department is engaged in separate discussions with An Bord Altranais in relation to the development of further promotional literature and video materials for use in an ongoing recruitment drive.