Seán Power
Ceist:102 Mr. Power asked the Minister for Health and Children if he has satisfied himself with the way in which student nurses are recruited; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [20031/99]
Vol. 509 No. 2
102 Mr. Power asked the Minister for Health and Children if he has satisfied himself with the way in which student nurses are recruited; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [20031/99]
In previous years the recruitment and selection process for places on both the general and psychiatric nursing registration/diploma programmes was administered by the nursing applications centre. An Bord Altranais has assumed responsibility for the overall management of the nursing applications centre from this year onwards and has renamed it the nursing careers centre in order to give it a broader focus in relation to nursing as a career generally. This transfer of responsibility is in accordance with the strengthened role of An Bord Altranais in the area of pre-registration nursing education and training recommended by the commission on nursing.
As part of the preparations for this year's competitions, An Bord Altranais, with my approval, amended its own rules to revise the minimum educational requirements for entry to nursing training. Broadly speaking, the requirements have been brought into line with those of the third level institutions. The effect of this rule change is to expand the range of leaving certificate subjects that may be presented by an applicant for admission to the nursing diploma programmes. In particular, it removes the requirement for a foreign language in the case of the non-NUI third level institutions involved in the operation of the programmes. A decision was subsequently taken by the NUI to drop the requirement for a foreign language for entry to the programmes. These changes introduce greater flexibility in the entry criteria for nursing training, without reducing standards, and will increase the pool of school leavers and others who will be eligible for places on the nursing diploma programmes.