Danny Healy-Rae (Kerry, Independent)
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805. To ask the Minister for Health the reason support for student nurses' pay was cut in August 2020; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [36833/20]

Stephen Donnelly (Wicklow, Fianna Fail)
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The Healthcare Assistance initiative, whereby student nurses and midwives were offered temporary contracts, was in response to the Covid19 outbreak and ceased in August 2020.

This initiative was only ever intended as a temporary measure to provide additional support to the national effort. It also offered some protection to the ongoing education of student nurses and midwives as their clinical placements had ceased.

Clinical placements for Student Nurses have resumed. Travel and accommodation allowances remain available to eligible students on these placements.

In addition, the HSE continues to fund the employment of fourth year student nurses and midwives who are on rostered work placements in hospital settings.  

My Department is currently reviewing the travel and accommodation allowances for this year’s student nurses on clinical placements.