Fintan Warfield (Sinn Fein) | Oireachtas source

I commend Senator Hoey on bringing forward this legislation and reading the testimonies of people on the front line into the record.

What is needed is a permanent solution with fair allowances to be put in place for student nurses and midwives. That should have been done yesterday, it should be done today and it should definitely be done before the next academic year 2021-22. I understand the Minister can do this at the stroke of a pen. The buck should not be passed to higher education institutions, the Nursing and Midwifery Board of Ireland or anyone else. The Department should engage with the Irish Nurses and Midwives Organisation and other unions representing these students to put in place a reasonable and fair system of allowances A fair system should also be put in place to address the needs of radiographers and others.

There is no more dangerous job on the front line than nursing. One-sixth of Covid-19 cases were in the healthcare profession and healthcare worker community. Healthcare workers' lives have been put on the line, as previous speakers noted. We should also consider the message that would be sent to people contemplating a career in nursing if they knew they would be treated with fairness and respect. There should be no more excuses, hiding behind reports or talk. These students deserve action now and I call on the Minister and the Government to support Senator Hoey's Bill.