Stephen Donnelly (Wicklow, Fianna Fail) | Oireachtas source

I propose to take Questions Nos. 89, 97, 117 and 121 together.

In my earlier response to Deputy Cullinane, I dealt with some of the issues raised by the Deputies, and I would now like to deal with the additional matters. Concerning fourth year nursing and midwifery students, the HSE continues to fund the internship employment of those students who are on rostered work placements. This includes those scheduled to commence in the coming weeks and those due to commence rostered work placements in 2021. These fourth year student nurses on rostered work placement are paid at the approved rate of €22,229 on an annualised basis for the psychiatric nursing specialism and €21,749 for all other nursing disciplines. I am open to examining what other measures can be put in place to protect and support student nurse and midwife education and welfare at the present time. My priority is to ensure that placements continue so long as it is safe to do so. In that regard, my Department is engaging with the HSE and the higher education bodies on an ongoing basis. Separately, and for the longer term, my Department is reviewing the accommodation and travel allowances for students on clinical placements that should apply from the academic year commencing in autumn 2021. This review is expected to conclude at the end of this month, and I look forward to examining the outcome of this review in due course. Regarding the testing of students when they are assigned to a placement, the testing regime follows the national system that the HSE has in place.

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