MINISTER FOR Health James Reilly has shelved plans originally put forward by the previous government to phase out payment for student nurses and midwives during their mandatory 36-week placement period in hospitals.
Following a review which was completed in recent days, the Minister has decided that the pay rates for student nurses and midwives will be reduced in stages over the coming years.
However, the cuts will not be as deep as those set out by the former minister Mary Harney last December.
Pay rates for student nurses and midwives in their fourth year who are undertaking their placement period in hospitals this year have been set at 76 per cent of the staff nurse salary. This will not change.
In 2012, the pay rate for the rostered placement period running from January to August will be set at 60 per cent of the first point on the relevant staff nurse/midwife scale. In 2013, the pay rate will be reduced again to 50 per cent of the first point of the relevant staff nurse/midwife salary scale.
In subsequent years the rate will be set at 50 per cent of the first point of the relevant staff nurse/midwife scale pending the national review of the undergraduate nursing programme, which has just begun.
The proposal put forward by Ms Harney, to eliminate from 2015 the payment for student nurses for their work placement period, has been dropped.
The Department of Health had originally estimated that the cuts proposed by Ms Harney would generate €28 million in savings.
The Department of Health had also previously maintained that if the planned cuts in pay for student nurses were reversed the money involved would have to be found elsewhere within the nursing/midwifery area.
A department spokeswoman said last night that the introduction of the new measures decided by Dr Reilly would have no revenue implications over the next couple of years. She said that the revenue implications of measures to come into effect after 2014 would be considered as part of the budgetary process at that time.
The Irish Nurses and Midwives Organisation said yesterday that in view of the Minister’s decision, a planned national protest against the cuts which was scheduled for November 9th would be postponed. It said that this would allow time for nationwide consultation and balloting on the revised arrangements.
The union’s executive will meet on November 7th and 8th to consider the Minister’s decision and to make a recommendation on the ballot. The ballot is to be completed by December 2nd.
The union said the Labour Court would next week consider its claim that the Department of Health/HSE breached their obligations under the information and consultation directive.
