Leo Varadkar (Dublin West, Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

I thank the Deputy. There will, of course, be engagement between the Minister and the HSE on one hand and the Irish Nurses and Midwives Organisation and SIPTU health on the other on this issue of student nurses and student midwives which, as the Deputy said, is an industrial relations issue. It is appropriate there should be further engagement. I do not know when the Minister, Deputy Donnelly, will formally bring a proposal to Cabinet, but there is Cabinet meeting on Thursday and one again next Tuesday, so I imagine it will be quite soon.

The proposals being made in the report provide for a 12.5% increase in the payment to student nurses and student midwives in their internship year and the continuation of the pandemic placement grant, recognising that the pandemic is ongoing. This may need to involve some back payments also.

It is worth pointing out the only healthcare students paid salaries are student nurses and midwives in their fourth year. They are paid between €21,000 and €22,000 on an annualised basis. During the 36-week internship in fourth year they are counted as point 5 full-time equivalent staff as they have not yet qualified.

In terms of recruitment in the round, it is worth acknowledging we have a budget of €22 billion. This is 50% higher than it was only six or seven years ago. On a per capitabasis it is probably one of the highest in the world. The HSE has recruited 7,000 or 8,000 additional staff since the pandemic. It has authorisation to recruit a similar number again on top of this. It is doing a good job in recruiting as many staff as possible, notwithstanding the fact we face recruitment and retention challenges that are a feature of all health services.

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