Pearse Doherty (Donegal, Sinn Fein)
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586. To ask the Minister for Health if the 12.5% pay increase for fourth-year student nurses completing their 36-week internship will be in place for nursing interns starting placement in January 2023. [61916/22]

Thomas Pringle (Donegal, Independent)
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619. To ask the Minister for Health if the 12.5% pay increase for nursing student intern students in fourth year is going ahead for nursing interns starting in January 2023; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [62163/22]

Stephen Donnelly (Wicklow, Fianna Fail)
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I propose to take questions Nos. 586 and 619 together.

Following the publication of the McHugh report (the Longer-Term Review of Matters relating to Student Nurses and Midwives), I announced that the Government had approved my proposal to provide significant additional supports, worth €12m, for student nurses and midwives while attending their clinical placements. Among these temporary measures, I extended the Pandemic Placement Grant (PPG) to eligible final-year student nurses on their 36-week internship placement at a rate of €50 per week, for internships in 2022. This offered each final-year student nurse and midwife an additional €1,800 over the course of their internship.

 I am pleased to confirm that, as of this week, measures have been approved by government to reinstate the salary for final-year student nurse and midwife interns to 80% of point one of the staff nurse/midwife pay scale for their 36 week placement.