Michael P. Kitt
Ceist:18 Mr. M. Kitt asked the Minister for Education and Science if he will allow student nurses to avail of higher education grants to study at University College Galway. [16606/97]
Written Answers - Higher Education Grants.
Dick Spring
Ceist:97 Mr. Spring asked the Minister for Education and Science if he will allocate resources in 1997 to enable third-level fees for the Bachelor of Nursing degree to be abolished. [16717/97]
I propose to answer Questions Nos. 18 and 97 together.
A revised programme for basic pre-registration nurse education and training was introduced in October 1994 on a pilot basis and has since been extended to a large number of other schools of nursing in association with local higher education institutions. The programme is fully funded by the Department of Health, at a cost of some £13 million in 1997. Accordingly, the question of student fees does not arise. Similarly, as the student nurses receive an annual maintenance grant under the programme, their entitlement under the higher education grants scheme does not arise. Successful completion of the three year programme leads to a diploma in nursing studies and students are eligible to register with An Bord Altranais for employment as a nurse.
As the Deputies are aware the National University of Ireland, Galway, is proposing to offer from January 1998 a one year degree programme on a full-time basis. The background to this issue is that the Department of Health has been engaged in consultations with a number of third level institutions in relation to the development of accessible degree programmes which would be open both to nurses who complete the new education and training programme and to nurses who qualified under the traditional model of education and training. The purpose of these programmes is to provide those members of the nursing profession who wish to obtain a postregistration qualification at degree level with an opportunity to do so by means of a one year part-time programme. The first such programme was offered by Dublin City University earlier this year and I understand that Trinity College, Dublin, proposes to offer a similar part-time programme from February 1998. As these are part-time programmes, the nurses involved are entitled to claim tax relief on their course fees.
I understand that the Higher Education Authority has discussed the proposed course with the National University of Ireland, Galway, and has asked the university to align its proposal with the approach adopted in the other colleges.