David Cullinane (Waterford, Sinn Fein) | Oireachtas source

I spoke to the Irish Nurses and Midwives Organisation, INMO, yesterday. It is very concerned that what the Minister is considering is a short-term response. If something can be done in the context of Covid-19, that would be of some help. The Minister, however, can also resolve the issue in the medium to long term immediately as well. When the INMO hears about further reviews, it will hear the can being firmly kicked down the road.

In a response last week, the Minister's party, after voting against a motion in the Dáil, stated, "Student nurses in their final or pre-registration year are paid because they are different and do real work on wards that would not be done were it not for them". It is not just fourth years who do real work, however, so too do first-, second- and third-year student nurses. I received hundreds of emails from those people. I cannot read out all of them out in the short time I have, but I hope to read one out in the next round. The Minister must understand, however, that this is not just an emotive issue, this is an issue of justice and one which the Minister can resolve and which he should resolve. Rather than just commit to reviews, I ask that he please deal with this issue for these workers, because they deserve it and I think the Minister knows that.

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