Press release
Minister for Health announces €9 million in additional supports for student nurses and midwives
From Department of Health
Published on
Last updated on
From Department of Health
Published on
Last updated on
The Minister for Health Stephen Donnelly has today announced his intention to provide significant additional supports for student nurses and midwives. The €9 million package of measures is in line with the recommendations of the McHugh Report.
In November 2021, the Minister published the Longer-Term Review of Matters Relating to Student Nurses and Midwives (McHugh Report). The review, carried out by Mr. Seán McHugh, recommended an enhanced Travel and Subsistence Scheme for student nurses and midwives attending their supernumerary clinical practice placements. Supernumerary nursing and midwifery students are like other students, but they have 45 weeks of mandatory clinical practice placements in healthcare settings. Clinical practice placements support the students to gain the required clinical competencies under supervision. The McHugh Report also recommended a review of the pay for the 36-week internship for final year student nurses and midwives.
Welcoming the approval of the package of supports by Government today, Minister Donnelly said:
"I am pleased to be introducing an enhanced Travel and Subsistence Scheme for student nurses and midwives while attending their supernumerary practice placements, which will provide a targeted and more equitable approach to supporting these students."
Acknowledging the contribution made by student nurses and midwives during their 36-week internship, Minister Donnelly said:
"For student nurses and midwives on their final year internship, I am ensuring that their salary is set in line with the recommendation of the McHugh Report, by increasing their rate of pay to 80% of point 1 of the staff nurse/midwife pay scale - this measure, worth €3.6 million, demonstrates further our commitment to retaining talent throughout our nursing and midwifery degree programmes, and our appreciation for the effort and dedication shown by students during their crucial final-year internships."
The government has approved Minister Donnelly’s proposals and the enhanced Travel and Subsistence supports for all eligible student nurses and midwives will be backdated to the start of the current Academic Year, September 2022.