Up to €1,500 will be reinstated to Irish nurses following a protest outside Leinster House last month. The Irish Government has decided to give back credits to nurses that graduated from 2011-2015 for their 36-week student placement. It is said that 7,500 nurses and midwives will see renewals in their account from 1 January 2017.
Health Minister Simon Harris made the decision two weeks ago to restore nurses for their placement with hopes this move will persuade nurses to stay in Ireland following their studies, and also for emigrated nurses to return to our labour force.
This news was received by the Irish Nurses and Midwives Association (INMO) General Secretary Liam Doran who said: “The INMO welcomes this restoration as it moves some way to correct a serious wrong done to young nurses and midwives in 2011/12.”
Mr. Doran said the announcement “represents an important first step, which must now be followed by further initiatives, to address the deepening crisis concerning nurse/midwife staffing levels and this country’s inability to retain these professionals in our public health service.”
The decision did not come easily, as the push for equal pay for equal work was shown in a protest lobbying for the Department for Public Expenditure and Reform to reconsider only awarding incremental credit to graduates from 2016.
Approximately 300 people demonstrated their views on the 27th of September and it is estimated that 4,000 nurses who graduated between 2011 and 2015 will be eligible for this pay restoration.
Áine Campion
Image Credit: Rollingnews.ie
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