Stephen Donnelly (Wicklow, Fianna Fail) | Oireachtas source

I thank the Deputies for their contributions. To pick up on the wider point, Deputy Boyd Barrett is absolutely right that nurses, midwives and HCAs throughout the system are doing extraordinary work. We often, rightly, talk about the amazing work teachers have done to make our schools safe places for children to be. There is not enough talk about the equivalent work nurses and midwives are doing to make hospitals safe places for patients. The Deputy is right that there have been a lot of Covid cases among healthcare professionals right across the board. I agree that nurses make up the biggest group of those who have been infected. That needs to be recognised.

Where I have a different view is in emphasising that for student nurses in the first, second and third year of their training who go out on placements, those placements are educational and make up part of their degree. This aspect of training was one of the components of moving the nursing qualification to a professional degree and it is a critical part of their education. I have a concern I wish to articulate in this regard but my time is up. I will return to it in my final reply.

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