Dáil Éireann debate -
Tuesday, 23 May 2000

Vol. 519 No. 5

Written Answers. - Nursing Staff.

Liam Lawlor

Question:

175 Mr. Lawlor asked the Minister for Health and Children if he will provide an estimate of the number of nurses who will benefit from his decision to provide £15 million from next year to pay for nurses undertaking degree courses. [14098/00]

Minister for Health and Children (Mr. Martin):

As the Deputy may be aware, the Commission on Nursing has signalled that the future benchmark qualification for entry to the nursing profession will be a degree in nursing studies.

There are currently a large number of registered nurses and midwives pursuing part-time degree courses. However, there are variations between health agencies in the provision of fee support. The priority action plan agreed between my Department and the nursing unions for the implementation of core recommendations of the Commission on Nursing includes a commitment to the introduction of uniform criteria for the provision of financial support to nurses and midwives undertaking post-registration education courses. This has provided me with a unique opportunity to create a level playing field for the payment of nursing degree fees.

I have, accordingly, decided that from 1 January 2001, nurses working in the public health service who want to undertake nursing and certain other undergraduate degree courses on a part-time basis will have their fees paid in full by their employing agencies. Fees will be paid in return for a commitment on the part of the nurses to continue to work in our public health service for a period of up to two years after the completion of the degree course. This fees initiative will continue until at least the year 2005.

While it is difficult to predict with any certainty the number of nurses who may avail of this initiative, it is estimated that up to 1,500 nurses a year may do so over the next five years or so, at an additional annual cost of some £3 million.