Ms Phil Ní Sheaghdha:

We have an agreement that they will be offered positions but it is still a process that has not been completed. The important thing for the student nurse population is that, from our survey, many of them were traumatised by the experience of going through Covid-19 without supports. We really must make sure they do not leave the profession before they qualify. That is my aim right now. We are trying to get the HSE to understand it must support the student nurses who are in training because 1,700 of them are graduating this year and we need every single one of them to remain in the public health service.

We are short of our colleagues who come and help us every year from the Philippines and India. We have a reduction in the number of registrations which I presented at the last committee. The Nursing and Midwifery Board of Ireland, NMBI, figures show we are quite significantly reduced from this time last year. Every year the health service and private and public sector relies on overseas recruitment to supplement our workforce. We need to make sure that when they qualify our students are protected, supported and have permanent jobs.