Seán Fleming (Laois, Fianna Fail)
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336. To ask the Minister for Public Expenditure and Reform when he will approve and sanction the agreement to restore recognition of the 36-week nursing internship from 2011 onward which has been agreed by the Department of Health, the HSE, INMO, PNA and SIPTU; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [28293/16]

Paschal Donohoe (Dublin Central, Fine Gael)
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Incremental credit for the 36 week clinical placement undertaken by 4th Year Student Nurses was abolished by the then Government in December 2010 as part of a range of measures aimed at reducing the public service pay bill. In the context of the Lansdowne Road Agreement it was agreed between management and unions that the issue of the 36 week incremental credit would be examined in relation to nurse/midwifery recruitment and retention. On conclusion of this process and deliberations with the Department of Health my Department agreed to sanction the restoration of incremental credit for the trainees currently on placement or who would in the future be assigned a placement. However the sanction also stated that the question of extending sanction to post 2011 nurses not in receipt of such credit may be reviewed on foot of consideration of whether the sanction granted would result in an increase in recruitment and retention rates of trainee nurses in 2016 and 2017.  

Officials from the Department of Health met with my officials recently to discuss whether there is scope to accelerate the review process for the restoration of incremental credit to 2011-2015 graduates prior to 2018. The Minister for Health has also written to me in relation to this matter. The issue is accordingly being reviewed by my Department with a view to bringing the matter to a conclusion at the earliest time. 

David Cullinane (Waterford, Sinn Fein)
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337. To ask the Minister for Public Expenditure and Reform the reason his Department amended part of the agreement concluded between the INMO, PNA, SIPTU nursing unions, the HSE and the Department of Health so that the restored recognition of the 36-week nursing internship applied to 2016 graduates onwards, leading to a situation whereby 2011-2015 nursing and midwifery graduates are earning less than their pre-2011 colleagues and less than some of the new 2016 graduates; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [28351/16]

Paschal Donohoe (Dublin Central, Fine Gael)
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Incremental credit for the 36 week clinical placement undertaken by 4th Year Student Nurses was abolished by the then Government in December 2010 as part of a range of measures aimed at reducing the public service pay bill. In the context of the Lansdowne Road Agreement it was agreed between management and unions that the issue of the 36 week incremental credit would be examined in relation to nurse/midwifery recruitment and retention. On conclusion of this process and deliberations with the Department of Health my Department agreed to sanction the restoration of incremental credit for the trainees currently on placement or who would in the future be assigned a placement. However the sanction also stated that the question of extending sanction to post 2011 nurses not in receipt of such credit may be reviewed on foot of consideration of whether the sanction granted would result in an increase in recruitment and retention rates of trainee nurses in 2016 and 2017. 

Officials from the Department of Health met with my officials recently to discuss whether there is scope to accelerate the review process for the restoration of incremental credit to 2011-2015 graduates prior to 2018. The Minister for Health has also written to me in relation to this matter. The issue is accordingly being reviewed by my Department with a view to bringing the matter to a conclusion at the earliest time.