Written Answers. - Nursing Fees.
Gay Mitchell
Ceist:
32
Mr. G. Mitchell
asked the
Minister for Health and Children
if he will reconsider Government policy relating to undergraduate fees payable by student nurses; and if he will arrange for these fees to be discharged in order to encourage nurses who have obtained the nursing diploma to undertake the one year course leading to a degree and to relieve them of the financial pressures resulting from their undertaking the degree course.
[4876/00]
Alan Shatter
Ceist:
142
Mr. Shatter
asked the
Minister for Health and Children
if he will reconsider Government policy relating to undergraduate fees payable by student nurses; and if he will arrange for these fees to be discharged in order to encourage nurses who have obtained the nursing diploma to undertake the one year course leading to a degree and to relieve them of the financial pressures resulting from their undertaking the degree course.
[5609/00]
I propose to take Questions Nos. 32 and 142 together.
I understand that there are two nursing degree courses on offer at the National University of Ireland, Galway: a one-academic year course and a part-time course that can be undertaken over 18 or 24 months. Following the recent Government meeting in Ballaghaderreen, the Taoiseach and my predecessor met a delegation of nursing students wishing to undertake the former course who are seeking to have their fees paid. In response to representations made to my predecessor by the students, an undertaking was given that the Department of Health and Children would investigate whether anything could be done for them.
I should explain that the students concerned have successfully completed the three-year nursing diploma programme and are entitled to register as nurses with An Bord Altranais. While undertaking the diploma programme, their third-level fees were paid by the relevant health agency and they also received an annual non-means tested maintenance grant and other supports. The difficulty with the one-academic year degree course is that it is outside the scope of the funding arrangements agreed between my Department and the Department of Finance in respect of pre-registration nursing education.
The commission on nursing has recommended that no third-level institution should introduce a pre-registration nursing degree programme before the start of the academic year 2002-03. Since a degree in nursing is not at present a requirement for registration as a nurse and subsequent employment, it is regarded as an optional post-registration qualification. Members of the nursing profession wishing to undertake a degree programme are, in the same way as any other public service workers, responsible for making their own arrangements, including the payment of course fees. It is, however, open to nurses who are employed by health agencies to apply to their employers for financial support towards the cost of undertaking such courses. Most health agencies have a continuing nursing education budget and funding from this budget is used to help nurses wishing to undertake further education.
My Department has given further consideration to the position of the Galway students wishing to undertake the one-academic year degree course. Unfortunately, it is simply not possible to ring fence any arrangements for these students. There are currently some 3,100 nursing students participating in the nursing diploma programmes at various third level institutions around the country, and it is expected that there will be an additional 1,500 students next autumn. It would be inequitable to meet the fees of the students who have enrolled for the degree course being provided by NUI Galway but not make similar provision for all the other nursing students.
The concession being sought by the Galway students, if granted, would also give rise to a legitimate expectation on the part of registered nurses undertaking degree and other courses on a part-time basis that they should also have their fees paid in full. In this context, it is important to bear in mind that there are currently in the region of 1,000 nurses undertaking such courses.
A further factor that must be taken into account is the importance of newly-qualified nurses who have successfully completed the three-year nursing diploma programme entering the workforce as soon as they are registered. If students were to delay their entry by a further year in order to undertake a degree course on a full-time basis, then this would exacerbate the difficulties that some hospitals are experiencing in recruiting nurses.
In all the circumstances, and having regard to the wider financial and other implications involved, my Department is not in a position to meet the fees of those students wishing to undertake the degree course at NUI Galway.
I am anxious to ensure that flexible arrangements are in place so as to afford some choices to these students. The degree course in question is structured in such a way as to allow the students to undertake part-time nursing work. My Department understands from the Western Health Board that some of the students who did the course last year worked an average of 20-24 hours per week and earned between £150 and £300 per week. It further understands from the health board that part-time work can be offered to this year's group on a similarly flexible basis so as not to interfere with their attendance at the university.
