Dáil Éireann Debate, Tuesday - 27 April 2004
598 Mr. P. McGrath asked the Minister for Health and Children the payments available to student nurses for their job experience work in hospitals; if he will confirm the person responsible for making those payments to individual nurses; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [11847/04]
View answer599 Mr. P. McGrath asked the Minister for Health and Children the payments that were payable to student nurses at first year, second year and third year for each of the past 10 years; and the source of the payments. [11848/04]
View answer600 Mr. P. McGrath asked the Minister for Health and Children the payments available to student nurses who while on work experience in hospitals may have to travel long distances from their college base and may have to find accommodation at this location. [11849/04]
View answer609 Ms McManus asked the Minister for Health and Children when book allowance, uniform allowance, accommodation allowance, a travel pass and payment for student nurses will be awarded to all qualifying student nurses; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [11954/04]
View answerI propose to take Questions Nos. 598 to 600, inclusive, and 609 together.
Prior to the implementation of the pre-registration nursing diploma programme, nursing students undertook a traditional apprenticeship model of nursing training, which was a certificate programme, and were paid a salary at the student rate by their training hospitals for the duration of their training. In 1994 the pre-registration nursing diploma programme commenced at a pilot site in Galway and was subsequently implemented on a nationwide basis. Nursing students on the diploma programmes receive an annual means-tested maintenance grant as well as other financial supports. Students on this programme are entitled to receive a once-off book and uniform allowance at the commencement of the programme. Students are also entitled to receive free meals on a seven-day per week basis in designated health institutions.
In early 1998, a new allowance was introduced to assist students undertaking external clinical placements. An external clinical placement exists where the student has to undertake a placement in a health care setting which is not the hospital base of the student. Under the original terms of the scheme, a student was entitled to receive an external clinical placement allowance where it was necessary for her/him to obtain a second accommodation away from her or his normal place of residence for the duration of the placement. A student who did not require a second accommodation was entitled to a refund of the cost of travelling to and from the external clinical placement site. In 2000, this initiative was further extended, and students may now avail of both the external clinical placement allowance and a refund of the costs of travel where required. Details of the rates of the above allowances from the period 1994 to date are detailed below:
|
€ |
||
|
1994-1998 |
Maintenance Grant |
3,174 per annum |
|
Book Allowance |
254 (once-off) |
|
|
Uniform Allowance |
137 (once-off) |
|
|
1998-1999 |
Maintenance Grant |
3,809 per annum |
|
Book Allowance |
254 (once-off) |
|
|
Uniform Allowance |
152 (once-off) |
|
|
External Clinical Placement Allowance |
25 per week |
|
|
1999-2000 |
Maintenance Grant |
4,127 per annum |
|
Book Allowance |
254 (once-off) |
|
|
Uniform Allowance |
152 (once-off) |
|
|
External Clinical Placement Allowance |
25 per week |
|
|
2000-2001 |
Maintenance Grant |
4,127 per annum |
|
Book Allowance |
317 (once-off) |
|
|
Uniform Allowance |
190 (once-off) |
|
|
External Clinical Placement Allowance |
25 per week |
|
|
2001-2003 |
Maintenance Grant |
4,533 per annum |
|
Book Allowance |
343 (once-off) |
|
|
Uniform Allowance |
203 (once-off) |
|
|
External Clinical Placement Allowance |
51 per week |
The maintenance grant was increased to €4,850 in June 2003 in respect of the final two intakes of students to the diploma programme. Where applicable, increases in the maintenance grant came into effect on 1 June of the relevant years, while increases in the book and uniform allowances came into effect in September of the relevant years. Payment of these allowances is the responsibility of the school of nursing in which the student trained. Funding has been provided to the schools by my Department.
Intake to the nursing diploma ceased with the transfer of nursing education to the third-level sector in 2002, and the final graduation from the diploma will be later this year. In 2002, as part of the Government's commitment to implementing the recommendations of the commission on nursing, the pre-registration education of student nurses transferred into the third level sector. Students on the new degree programme have the same benefits as other third level students. Nursing degree students do not automatically receive a non-means-tested maintenance grant but, rather, may apply to the Department of Education and Science for a means-tested student grant under the scheme applying to all third-level students. Students on the nursing degree programme receive a once-off uniform allowance of €203.16 which is payable in the first year of the programme. Students undertaking external clinical placements are entitled to a refund of the cost of transport to and from the placement site for the duration of the placement. Students are also entitled to receive an accommodation allowance up to, but not exceeding, €50.79 weekly where it is necessary for the student to obtain accommodation away from her or his normal place of residence.
Payment of the uniform and clinical placement allowances is the responsibility of the relevant health agencies. The conditions for payment of the clinical placement allowances are outlined in circular 9/2004 which recently issued from my Department. A further letter of clarification regarding the payment of allowances to undergraduate nursing degree students issued from my Department on 26 April 2004. It should be noted that undergraduate nursing degree students do not receive book or meal allowances.
