Mick Barry (Cork North Central, Solidarity) | Oireachtas source

Nursing is arguably the most dangerous job in the country in this pandemic. Around 50 nurses a day have to stop work because they have either contracted Covid or are a close contact of someone who has. More than 3,000 student nurses have done placement work in our hospitals in the last few months. If someone studies nursing in college, Covid risk is on the curriculum. The Tánaiste said in response to Deputy Kelly that paying students does not tend to be the practice across the public sector. However, it also does not tend to be the practice across the public sector for people doing placement work to have anywhere near the level of risk our student nurses face. Despite this, they go to work in our hospitals to be paid precisely €0. This has to end. Some of them receive an allowance but it is a pitiable allowance of €50 a week or €7 a day and those who receive it are in a small minority. I understand that the Department is currently in negotiations with the INMO on the student pay issue. Can the Tánaiste give the House an update on the progress of these talks and some indication as to when they might be concluded?

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