Stephen Donnelly has promised he’ll open the Government purse to pay student nurses for Covid work if a review recommends it.
And the Minister for Health said that student nurses could have the extra cash in January.
Mr Donnelly has relented to growing pressure to give the young nurses pay for working in hospitals during the pandemic.
As it stands, fourth year student nurses get paid €9.48 per hour for clinical placement work, while all others get a measly accommodation allowance worth €50.
Opposition politicians have raised the issue during the Dáil’s most important set piece slot, Leaders’ Questions, three days in a row.
And the Irish Mirror has thrown its weight behind the worthy issue all this week too, with our ‘Pay Our Student Nurses’ campaign.
Mr Donnelly has promised that if a review of allowances recommends that extra cash should be paid, and if the nurses’ unions are happy with the proposal, he will open the Government’s wallet in January.
The Health Minister was responding to Sinn Féin health spokesman, David Cullinane, in the Dáil, who had asked for clarity on the pay issue.
Mr Donnelly said: “I have asked for a short, independent examination of the current travel and accommodation allowance in the context of Covid-19.
“I also believe a longer-term review of allowances and the fourth-year student salary is necessary and I have committed to that.
“My Department is engaging with the representative organisations on this matter, and if they give their agreement for the review, my intention is that any recommended increase in allowances related to Covid-19 would be in place in January, as requested by the representative bodies.”
