Student nurses can look forward to getting Covid pay from as early as next month.
Minister for Higher Education, Simon Harris, said that he wants to give the nurses their fair dues after public outcry over Government stalling on paying our hardworking carers.
He said that the promised review will “the review will result in higher allowances for student nurses and I think that would be right and that would be appropriate.”
There is a review underway into whether extra allowances could be given to the dedicated frontline workers, who don’t get paid because the work is considered part of their studies.
Final year student nurses do get paid, but the first, second and third years do not unless they are acting above and beyond their student role.
The report is due before the end of the month and if it recommends an added allowance should be paid, Mr Harris believes the Government should act immediately.
This would see an appreciation in cash for student nurses in recognition of the work they are doing in hospitals in the battle against Covid.
Mr Harris was speaking to reporters in Government Government Buildings this afternoon.
He told the Irish Mirror: “We now have a situation where clinical placements are back, student nurses are back in fulltime education, but there are two very important issues that still arise, how do we, as you rightly say, ensure our nurses get their fair allowances.
“And two how do we ensure that if they are in clinical placements, as opposed to work, that there’s a very clear understanding of the difference.
“Because if somebody’s rostered to work, that is work, it’s work that’s paid, so there’s a difference between a clinical placement and work.
“And I know that the Minister for Health is going to, A, investigate what I just said about the difference between work and clinical placement, and B, crucially, at this moment, finish a review into allowances.
“The Taoiseach said in the Dáil last he expects that the review will result in higher allowances for student nurses and I think that would be right and that would be appropriate.”
Mr Harris added: The review is due this month and I expect immediate action on the review.”
