13 March 2002
By Elaine Murphy
elaine@TheCork.ie
Fianna Fáil TD for Cork North Central, Padraig O’Sullivan has written to the Minister for Health to ask whether or not trainee nurses will be compensated for working in hospitals during the COVID-19 crisis.
Deputy O’Sullivan said that trainee nurses from UCC were expected to work on the frontline in hospitals, in an effort to combat the COVID-19 crisis, but that they typically did not receive any remuneration. He said this should be reviewed in light of the current circumstances.
He explained, “All other UCC placements, whether it be in accountancy or law, have been cancelled. Understandably, nursing placements are continuing during the outbreak.
“However, I believe that at this time of high pressure and high risk we should be compensating trainees for putting themselves in the firing line. I have written to Minister Harris to ask that he consider this.
“Looking after our trainee nurses at this time would be a show of good faith, it would show them that the Government appreciates what they are doing and may work as an incentive to keep them in our hospital networks once they are fully qualified,” he concluded.