Mark Wall (Labour) | Oireachtas source

I welcome the Minister to the House. I thank my friend and colleague, Senator Hoey, for introducing this Bill. It was the Leader who christened Senator Hoey the Senator for students. It is a very appropriate title given the continuing work she does on behalf of all students. As somebody whose wife is a nurse and midwife and whose sister is a nurse, I am acutely aware of what is involved in this great profession. The dedication of those who choose nursing and midwifery as a career can never, and should never, be questioned. The issue is now how we, as a State, view the work currently being carried out by our student nurses and midwives.

The Government has conceded that it should pay student nurses and midwives but the pandemic placement grant of €100 per week is nothing short of an insult in light what these students are doing on behalf of the State, day in and day out, at this time. We have now reached the unwelcome milestone of more than 4,000 deaths from this disease in this country. Unfortunately, many families have not been able to say goodbye to their loved ones as they passed away from this dreadful disease in our hospitals. Many of the students to whom I spoke were there during those final hours, holding the hands of those same loved ones. These same students have filled in for and replaced their senior colleagues whenever requested without questioning why. Using the excuse that these students are in an educational setting while doing this work is totally unacceptable. Not paying them for this type of work is nothing short of exploitation and the Government continues to stand over it while accepting that these students should be paid.

We all want to build a health system that is fit for purpose. Some of us would like to build a public health system. Whatever one's view is, one thing is for certain; we need students to qualify as nurses and midwives. It is time that we recognise the tremendous effort of all of these students and time that they were paid for the work they are undoubtedly doing. Our front-line workers have performed heroically over this last year, doing what they do every other day but now dressed in full-length personal protection equipment to protect our loved ones, our families and our neighbours who have succumbed to this virus. They do this because it is their job, the profession they have chosen and the work in which they all have so much pride. The experience of our student nurses and midwives are accumulating at this time will surely stand to them as they begin and continue in their great profession. We should be ensuring that they stay in this profession and that they will become part of a public healthcare system of which we can all be proud. The time for applause is over. It is beyond time to pay our student nurses and midwives.