Joanna Tuffy (Dublin Mid West, Labour) | Oireachtas source

I have had replies from the Minister to several parliamentary questions on this issue and had hoped the Minister would be here, given that he knows the background to the matter. In any event, I wish to know the up-to-date position regarding the reason for non-payment to third year DIT biomedical science students of the monthly training allowance payable to them while on placement in public health service laboratories. I am raising this on behalf of current and former students of biomedical science at DIT Kevin Street, who used to be paid a monthly allowance for the period of their third year full-time placement, which involves training in public health service laboratories in hospitals. Payment of this allowance was stopped three years ago on the grounds of HSE cutbacks. However, although biomedical science is offered at three third level colleges - namely, DIT, NUI Galway and Cork University - and students of those courses had all previously received the allowance, it was stopped only for the DIT students. Students at the other two colleges still receive the allowance and have done so over the past three years.

It is also worth noting that the Department of Health and Children document on consolidated salary scales for new entrants, effective from 1 January 2011, states that the third year student medical scientist monthly training allowance is €813.58. I am aware that when the allowance was stopped, the issue was raised on behalf of the students by the Medical Laboratory Scientists' Association and, as I mentioned earlier, I have raised it in a number of parliamentary questions, starting in February of this year. I have since put other parliamentary questions to the Minister for Health on this matter, the last of which was in September. I have also written to the Minister on the issue a number of times. In response to my question in February, the Minister stated the following:

Student medical scientists who are in their third year of study and who are accepted for a clinical placement in a public health service laboratory are eligible to receive a monthly training allowance of €813.58. I am making inquiries about the particular issue raised by the Deputy and will correspond with her on the matter as soon as possible.

I have sent a number of follow-up letters to the Minister as well as tabling several parliamentary questions, and in his responses he has told me the matter is receiving attention. It is important that this matter is resolved.

It is also noteworthy that the Department of Public Expenditure and Reform, in its review of allowances, makes reference to the monthly training allowance paid to third year medical science students. I ask the Minister of State to update me on the investigations the Minister of Health said he was carrying out. What is the reason for this anomaly? Why is it that the DIT students do not receive the allowance but students in the other two colleges do?

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