Sinn Féin will bring a motion to the Dáil tomorrow to ensure student nurses and midwives receive fair pay without delay.

Teachta Cullinane said:

“After suspending clinical placements for student nurses and midwives, the government is trying to muddy the waters.

“There is a staffing crisis in the health service, with more than 6,000 health service workers out due to Covid-19.

“When student nurses and midwives are on clinical placement, they are working and they should be given a fair allowance that recognises the work that they do. This should be negotiated with their representatives.

“The government’s proposal of €100 per week does not cut it and fourth year interns should be paid at the healthcare assistant rate to recognise the important work that they do as part of their training.

“They performed this work before the pandemic, during the pandemic and will continue to do so after the pandemic.

“For the vast majority of student nurses and midwives, it is unsustainable, and many have to work additional shifts while trying to complete academic work which creates additional stress and difficulty.

“This is particularly difficult for older and mature students who have children.

“At the end of the day we all want to see a proper solution to this issue that recognises the work that student nurses and midwives do while they are on clinical placements.

“That is what our motion proposes and I am appealing to all TDs to support it when it is debated in the Dáil tomorrow morning.”