Financial education grants for nurses were today extended to all clinical practice courses as part of a £5 million-drive to attract people into the profession.
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Minister for Health Mr Martin
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Making the announcement at the Irish Nurses Organisation (INO) annual conference in Killarney, Minister for Health Mr Martin praised progress achieved on the recommendations of the Commission on Nursing.
He said nursing training places have increased from 300 to 1,500 and that the annual maintenance grant had been increased by £245.
Latest figures from the Health ServiceEmployers' Agency indicated a fall in the numberof nursing vacancies of 5 per cent and nursingapplications are up 21 per cent on last year,added Mr Martin.
The £5 million nursing recruitment drivewas attracting people to nursing and flexibleworking arrangements would help to retain them,the Minister continued.
"Nursing has been established as a powerful andpivotal profession. It has been operationallyand educationally re-configured", he said.
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