Up to 1,000 student nurses marched on the Department of Health yesterday in protest over lack of financial support. A letter was handed in to the Minister, Mr Cowen.
Mr Cowen said he was surprised by their action as he had recently approved a package of enhanced financial support for nurses, including a 20 per cent increase in their annual maintenance grant. In a statement, he said the total cost of these improved supports in 1998 was about £1 million.
But the student nurses recently voted overwhelmingly to reject the package, according to Mr Liam Doran of the INO. "We want the Minister to immediately review the matter and come forward with new proposals."
He said student nurses, unlike other third-level students, undertook a 48-week academic year and a 35-hour week. They were seeking a weekly allowance of £75 a week. They also wanted free meals when on placement and the costs incurred in the provisions of short-term accommodation while undertaking clinical placement away from their main hospital.
The INO also wants the Departments of Health and Education to treat the full-time degree programme like all other degree programmes and abolish fees. But Mr Cowen said student nurses participating in the nursing diploma programme received far higher financial support than other third-level students. He said each student nurse received an annual maintenance grant of £3,000, which was not means-tested, unlike other third-level grants.