Peter Fitzpatrick (Louth, Independent) | Oireachtas source

I am grateful for the opportunity to speak. I thank the Members who brought this motion to the House and in the main, I fully support it. Student nurses and midwives must be treated fairly, with respect and above all, with dignity. Student nurses and midwives who are working on the front line are no different to other essential workers on the front line and this has never been more apparent than during the current pandemic. The bottom line is that they are front-line workers and as such, must be treated as front-line workers in all aspects, including that of pay. In other industries, apprentices in professions like those of electrician and plumber are paid as they train. A fourth-year apprentice electrician or plumber is paid 80% of the full rate of pay. Student nurses, at the very least, deserve to be treated in the same manner. We can all stand here in the Dáil and applaud them, which I know the healthcare sector appreciates, but we must also stand up and demand they are treated fairly. This is not happening at present and I challenge anyone in this House to prove otherwise. Words are cheap and it is actions that matter.

The Government must stand up and be counted on this issue. Without further delay, it must introduce measures to ensure that our student nurses and midwives are treated fairly. These students nurses are already paying substantial fees if they do not qualify for grants. They also must pay for their accommodation during placements, along with any travel expenses. To cap it all off, they have been asked to pay a €100 registration fee for the Nursing and Midwifery Board of Ireland because they have gone to the front line to help prevent the health system from collapsing during the Covid pandemic. This Government must get real and support our student nurses.

Looking at this another way, the Government could be accused of exploiting cheap labour under the current scheme. As has been said before in this House, there is no other way of describing this. It is a case of cheap labour being used to carry out essential front-line healthcare. Let us look at the facts. Student nurses work on average 15 weeks per year for the first three years of their degree. These student nurses on clinical placements receive an allowance of €50.75 per week. It should be noted that student nurses who are not on clinical placement receive nothing. I put it to the Government that the allowance granted to those who are fortunate enough to receive it does not even cover the cost of travel expenses, never mind the cost of tuition fees and accommodation costs. Yet these student nurses have been put directly on the front line during the past 12 months while we have been fighting this terrible pandemic. Let us be clear. Student nurses and midwives are being asked to fill essential roles in our health system at this most critical time. The very least we owe these wonderful people is that they be treated equally as other members of their profession. An apprentice electrician or plumber is entitled to a rate of pay that is 80% of a fully qualified tradesman. Surely the very least a student nurse or midwife deserves is to be treated the same as an apprentice tradesperson.

I have spoken to many student nurses over the past six to eight months and the message is clear: they are at breaking point and feel that they are not being treated fairly or with due respect. The bottom line is that they are working beyond what is normal for student nurses. They are in fact working as full-time nurses. It is also not surprising that not one of the student nurses whom I spoke to has considered leaving the profession. They are not in it for the money. They have a genuine passion for their work and want to help people to the best of their ability. Many can only continue to study with the help of their families and friends. That is disgraceful in this day and age.

The Minister thanked all nurses, midwives and healthcare workers for their dedication and commitment as we continue to deal with the Covid-19 pandemic. He noted that Irish nurses and midwives are internationally sought-after graduates and are included in the priority group for vaccination. The student nurses and midwives need the support of the Minister now, more than ever. I fully support any measures that will ensure that our student nurses and midwives are treated fairly and with proper respect during their studies. Surely this is not much to ask for, considering the heroic efforts these students have made to keep our health service from collapsing during the greatest crisis that this country has ever experienced. I ask the Government to support our student nurses and midwives at a time when they need it most. When I speak of supporting them, I mean that they should be treated in same manner as their peers in other countries.

See this speech in context