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Dáil Éireann debate -
Wednesday, 20 Feb 2002

Vol. 549 No. 1

Written Answers. - Nursing Staff.

Jim Higgins

Question:

55 Mr. Higgins (Mayo) asked the Minister for Health and Children the reason funding for the integration to the third level sector of nurse diploma students has not been provided; and the reason they are to remain in the schools of nursing. [5830/02]

Early last year, in response to a recommendation by the Nursing Education Forum, I established an interdepartmental steering committee to examine all funding and issues associated with the implementation of a new pre-registration nursing degree programme. This committee is composed of representatives of my Department, the Departments of Finance, Education and Science and the Higher Education Authority. It considered that the most cost-effective way of proceeding with the integration of pre-registration nursing education into the higher education sector would be to commence with the first cohort of nursing degree students, who will begin their studies this autumn.

In arriving at this conclusion, the committee was cognisant of the fact that the capital building programme required to be undertaken to accommodate nursing students on the campuses of the higher education institutions would not be completed until 2004. In the meantime, temporary accommodation has to be found for the first two intakes of nursing degree students. In these circumstances, the only viable approach is to continue with the present arrangements for second and third year nursing diploma students. I emphasise that in years two and three of the diploma programme, nursing students spend an increasing proportion of their time undertaking clinical placements in the health services. The fact that they are not being integrated into the higher education sector to coincide with the introduction of the new nursing degree programme does not in any way diminish their status as students.

Question No. 56 answered with Question No. 38.

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