Seán Fleming (Laois-Offaly, Fianna Fail) | Oireachtas source

Over the past three years, the number of undergraduate training places for nurses and midwives has increased by 400. That is an increase of approximately 25%. This year, there are more than 250 additional places in higher education institutions across the Republic of Ireland. Also this year, the Department of Health in Northern Ireland and our Department of Health have agreed to - and want to operate and support - an all-island approach to increasing the number of training places for student nurses and midwives.

As previously indicated, the Government has provided a fund of €9 million, €5.4 million of which is for enhanced travel subsistence. The Minister would have liked these payments to have been made long ago. On whether they will be subject to tax, the matter has now been clarified. The Minister is pleased to confirm that payments have commenced in a number of areas, but not in all.

The Senator asked a specific question about whether nurse training will take place in trauma wards. She also asked about the details of the scheme relating to car ownership. I will take her queries directly to the Department because I do not have a note on the specific points she raised.