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Nursing Staff

Dáil Éireann Debate, Tuesday - 1 December 2020

Tuesday, 1 December 2020

Ceisteanna (764)

Pádraig O'Sullivan

Ceist:

764. Deputy Pádraig O'Sullivan asked the Minister for Health if consideration would be given to paying student nurses €14 as opposed to €10.70; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [40392/20]

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Freagraí scríofa

Earlier this year, the Health Care Assistant initiative (whereby student nurses and midwives were offered temporary contracts as Health Care Assistants) began in April 2020 and ceased in August 2020.

This was in response to the Covid19 outbreak and was only ever intended as a temporary measure to provide additional support of to the national effort, it also offered some protection to the ongoing education of student nurses and midwives as their clinical placements had ceased. Student nurses and midwives who took part in this initiative received payment of the first point of the Health Care Assistant salary scale, €28,493. The rate was also temporarily applied to those 4th year nurses and midwives on paid work placements.

The regular pay for 4th year student nurses on paid internship increased by 2% on 1st October this year. The annualised salary for this group is now €21,749 (or €10.72 per hour) for general nursing and midwifery and €22,229 (€10.96 per hour) for psychiatric nursing.

My Department is currently engaging with the nursing unions on matters of concern for student nurses at the present time.

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