Oireachtas Joint and Select Committees

Wednesday, 25 June 2025

Committee on Further and Higher Education, Research, Innovation and Science

Review of Action Plan for Apprenticeship 2021-2025: Discussion

2:00 am

Photo of Fionntán Ó SúilleabháinFionntán Ó Súilleabháin (Wicklow-Wexford, Sinn Fein)

Excellent. I remember that, a few weeks ago, one of Sinn Féin's Deputies, Máire Devine, had a group of young trainee nurses in from St. Patrick's mental hospital. They made a very good presentation in the audiovisual room. My understanding is that those trainee nurses were not paid for part of their training. Obviously, most Irish nurses have emigrated to places like Sydney and Dubai. There is a huge crisis in terms of keeping our own nurses here. A lot of them are looking for a reason to come home. Our guests probably saw media reports showing a protest outside Sydney Opera House and protesters carrying a banner with the phrase "#GIVE US A REASON TO COME HOME". Have our guests given consideration to the nursing sector? Obviously, I cannot say for certain but I got the impression from speaking to the trainee nurses that they were not getting any payment.

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