Catherine Murphy (Kildare North, Social Democrats)
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630. To ask the Minister for Health if he has engaged with trade unions and nursing representative bodies on the issue of trainee nursing pay. [31271/20]

Stephen Donnelly (Wicklow, Fianna Fail)
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At the recent annual INMO conference held on 9^thof October 2020, I outlined my approach to revising the current Student Nurse Allowances and the possibility of re-opening the Student Nurse (Temporary HCA) initiative.

Since then, officials from my Department have engaged with the Trade Unions (INMO, PNA and SIPTU) on this matter, outlining the approach that is being taken in the immediate and longer term.

In the immediate term, the Department are reviewing these allowances for this year’s Student Nurses on clinical placements, taking into account the impact of COVID-19 pandemic on such placements. Department officials are also examining the re-opening of the Student Nurse (Temporary HCA) initiative. This revision is expected to conclude in the coming days and I look forward to bringing forward proposals shortly thereafter.

In the longer term, the Department are also reviewing Student Nurse allowances for future Student Nurse clinical placements. This review is expected to conclude by the end of November 2020.