Vol. 509 No. 4
246 Ms McManus asked the Minister for Health and Children if he will consider the establishment of a central training fund to which nurses could apply to fund postgraduate training courses in order to relieve in some measure the financial and personal burden undertaken by nursing staff to the benefit of the hospital and health system. [20650/99]
Funding available for continuing post-registration education of nurses is allocated to the relevant health agencies. In 1999 some £8.5 million will be spent on continuing nurse education. It is a matter for the agencies themselves to decide on the most effective use of these funds, having due regard to the nature of the services which are involved.
The Deputy will be interested to hear about the progress on the establishment of the National Council for the Professional Development of Nursing and Midwifery. The Commission on Nursing recommended that this new council be established on a statutory basis with responsibility for post-registration professional development of nursing and midwifery, while An Bord Altranais would concentrate on pre-registration education. The council is in the process of being established. The council will have a central role in monitoring the ongoing development of specialist nursing posts and in determining the appropriate level of qualification and experience for entry to such posts.
