Fiona O'Loughlin (Kildare South, Fianna Fail) | Oireachtas source

Nurses are witness to both the beginning and the end of life, dispensing care, compassion and comfort along the way.

They live very demanding lives and deserve our support and solidarity now more than ever. It is a scandal that nurses and midwives have the lowest core salary for graduate professionals in the health service. It is a scandal that it has taken so long for the Government to meet or engage with the Irish Nurses and Midwives Organisation. Nurse numbers are reducing while the population is increasing. The only way to address a recruiting and retention crisis in nursing and midwifery is to address the issue of pay. This is not just about pay. Nobody goes into nursing expecting to make a fortune, but the least they deserve is to have a decent standard of living for themselves and their families.

Four nursing jobs are available in Ireland for every qualified nurse applying, which is incredible. Intensive care units and operating theatres around the country are among the worst hit. I have checked that out with my local hospitals in Naas and Portlaoise. I spoke to two young nurses from my constituency this morning. One is now living and working in Dubai enjoying a far higher salary and far better working conditions. The other is still working in Ireland and is one of only two from her class of 80 who remained in Ireland. She has been back to college four times since then to further her nursing education and has only stayed in Ireland due to family commitments. She described her nursing colleagues as tired, worn out and stressed due to the understaffing issues in their hospital. A commitment to review nursing and midwifery salaries in 2006 remains to be honoured.

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