Dáil Éireann debate -
Thursday, 18 Dec 2003

Vol. 577 No. 5

Written Answers. - Nursing Education.

Denis Naughten

Question:

136 Mr. Naughten asked the Minister for Health and Children the number of public health nurse students currently completing their higher diploma in public health who have received sponsorship from a health board; the breakdown for each health board and each educational institution; the number of students in each institution without sponsorship; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [31763/03]

Denis Naughten

Question:

137 Mr. Naughten asked the Minister for Health and Children the reason he has not fulfilled his commitment of 7 July 2000 to fund all students studying for the higher diploma in public health nursing; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [31764/03]

Minister for Health and Children (Mr. Martin)

I propose to take Questions Nos. 136 and 137 together.

As a reflection of the Government's commitment to the continued development of community health services, I introduced a number of measures aimed at increasing the numbers of public health nurses. The number of sponsorships available for students in 2000 was 65 at a cost of €1.75 million. In 2003-04, 95 students are being sponsored at a cost of €3.19 million. The breakdown of sponsorships by health board-authority is as follows:

Health Board/Authority	Number ofSponsorships
Eastern Regional Health Authority	38
Midland Health Board	5
Mid-Western Health Board	8
North-Eastern Health Board	11
North-Western Health Board	4
South-Eastern Health Board	17
Southern Health Board	4
Western Health Board	8
Total	95

My Department does not collect data on the total number of students studying for the Higher Diploma in Public Health Nursing by educational institution, or on the number of students without sponsorship.

Circular 85/2000 issued by my Department detailed revised arrangements for the sponsorship of student public health nurses. Under the terms of the scheme, sponsored students are eligible for refund of fees and payment of salary in return for a commitment to remain in employment as public health nurses with the sponsoring health board-authority for a period of at least two years following graduation. Applications for sponsorship are made to the individual health board-authority which are responsible for their own selection processes. Vacancies for permanent positions are then reserved to which the sponsored students are appointed on successful completion of the course. Selection criteria are designed to establish not only the suitability of candidates for sponsorship but also their suitability for subsequent permanent appointment as public health nurses by the board-authority.

Circular 85/2000 provides that each health board-authority would be assigned a quota of places for sponsorship having regard to need. To ensure the optimum distribution of sponsorship places, discussions were undertaken with the directors of the nursing and midwifery planning and development units and allocations agreed for the academic year 2003-2004. The overall position will be reviewed again next year, and adjustments will be made in the light of developments in public health nurse staffing levels in each region.