Maria Byrne (Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

I wish to highlight the issue student nurses are facing. On 13 December 2022, the McHugh report suggested a €9 million package and recommended a €500 per year payment for student nurses in years 1 to 3. It also outlined an €80 allowance for overnight accommodation being introduced, together with an increased weekly cap of €300 for students who need accommodation away from their homes. Student nurses and midwives can also avail of a reasonable cost-of-uniform laundry service during periods of overnight accommodation on a vouched basis. They will also get two extra uniforms. This was all great when it was announced on 13 December, but the fact of the matter is that it has not happened.

We are now in the middle of July and these student nurses have not received their €500 payment. I have been contacted by many student nurses who are going out and working in hospitals on placements who have not received their money. Really, the Minister for Health needs to introduce this money or give this payment to the student nurses as soon as possible. He introduced and announced this in December and said it was approved, and it was welcomed by the Irish Nurses and Midwives Organisation, INMO, at the time. I would certainly appreciate any intervention the Leader can make.

I also wish to raise the plight of residents in Ballycummin, Glencairn and a few other estates nearby in Limerick at present. The Foynes to Limerick rail line is being reintroduced, which everybody is delighted with, but the motorway is actually outside that rail line. Iarnród Éireann and Transport Infrastructure Ireland, TII, took down all the sound barriers. They took down the trees. I stood in the bedroom of a house recently which is back-to-back on to this rail line and the motorway outside it and it was as if the cars were inside the person's bedroom. It was frightening. These people have triple glazing in their house. The Minister of State, Deputy Chambers, is due to come to Limerick to view it. I have spoken to the Minister of State about releasing the money to TII because the Department of the Environment, Climate and Communications said it will pay for half of it if TII pays for the other half. It is really important that the Minister of State meets the residents, which I have asked him to do and I believe he will. Realistically, however, the money has to be given and released to pay for the trees to be released. One Sunday afternoon, the residents were at home when somebody came along with strimmers and the whole thing was removed. It has also left them open to people walking up and down the rail line and security issues.