Nursing students at the University of Galway are to sue the Minister for Education over his department's refusal to pay their undergraduate fees of £2,000 a year. The president of the university's students' union, Mr Darren McCallig, said a letter informing Mr Martin of the impending action was sent to him before Christmas but a "favourable reply" had not been received.
About 50 nursing students in Galway are involved. Under the new nursing diploma programme, which replaced the more traditional hospital-based training in 1994, nursing schools operate three-year programmes in association with third-level colleges.
The school of nursing studies in Galway introduced a fourth year to bring training up to degree level. Nursing education is funded by the Department of Health, so the Department of Education says the same department should fund the additional year. The Department of Health says the degree year is optional and nurses who take the course are responsible for their own fees.