Ms Fiona O'Byrne:

In nursing in particular, under the Funding the Future framework one of the priority areas is driving skills and engagement, with a particular focus on the skills required for the delivery of essential public services. A subgroup on nursing chaired by Professor Tom Collins was set up to explore both models of nursing.

In parallel, the Department of Health has set up new structures for nursing, which the Department of Further and Higher Education, Research, Innovation and Science feeds into. On apprenticeship, that is an employer driven model. It would be a matter for the employers of nurses, predominantly the HSE, to consider whether that is something they would like to take on. I understand the Nursing and Midwifery Board of Ireland is this week finalising standards relating to graduate entry programmes too.