Vol. 245 No. 2
asked the Minister for Health how many vacancies there are in this country for nurse tutors for hospitals under his jurisdiction; and if he is satisfied that there is an available supply of such qualified personnel to meet any vacancies that might occur.
2.
asked the Minister for Health if he is satisfied that the salary paid to nurse tutors is sufficient to encourage specialisation in this branch of qualified nursing personnel.
With your permission, a Cheann Comhairle, I propose to take Questions Nos. 1 and 2 together.
There are ten nurse tutor vacancies at present in psychiatric and general nursing training hospitals administered by local authorities. Temporary appointments have been made to all but one of these vacancies. Additional posts will be created when the supply of qualified personnel increases. The situation in regard to qualified tutors has much improved in recent years since the initiation of nurse tutor diploma courses at UCD. I understand that 19 students, including seven nurses in the employment of local authorities, are attending the current course.
The remuneration of nurse tutors, as of other nursing grades in the health services, is determined under agreed negotiating procedures which apply to local authority staffs generally. My only function is to record or withhold approval of settlements arrived at under these arrangements.
Would the Minister not agree that there are not enough nurse tutors available to meet existing vacancies and that the reason is that the salaries are not sufficient to encourage them to specialise in that particular branch of nursing?
The Minister's function in this regard is as stated in my reply. However, I shall pass on the Deputy's observations to the Tánaiste for his consideration.
