Caoimhghín Ó Caoláin (Cavan-Monaghan, Sinn Fein)
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Question 137: To ask the Minister for Health and Children if she has received representations from SIPTU regarding cutbacks in nurse education; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [45573/08]

Mary Harney (Dublin Mid West, Progressive Democrats)
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I can confirm that my Department responded to a representation from SIPTU regarding expenditure savings on nursing education on 8th December last. The reply informed SIPTU that in 2009 a reduction of 310 places in the undergraduate degree programme would be implemented by the HSE under proposals to deliver economy savings of €115 million under Budget 2008.

The reduction means that from next year we will be providing 1,570 undergraduate places as follows:

The total cost of nurse education to the Health Services, both undergraduate and post-registration is currently in excess of €117 million per annum. The reduction in places will result in savings of €1.65 million approximately in 2009 and €3.3 million from 2010 onwards.

Nurses trained under the apprenticeship and diploma models undertaking part-time degree courses have been able to apply to their employer to have their course fees paid in return for a service commitment to the public health service. This initiative has been in operation since 2001 and was due for completion before now. It will be no longer be available for new entrants from 1 January 2009, resulting in a saving of €2m next year and about €3.8m per annum from 2010 onwards.

Further savings of €1.35m in 2009 will be achieved by reducing places on the various post-registration courses in specialist clinical practice.

These three cost saving measures will produce savings of €5m in 2009 and €8.45m in future years.