Student nurses deserve to be paid
Labour Party Health spokesperson, Alan Kelly TD, has called for student nurses who are working in our hospitals during the COVID-19 health crisis to be paid for their work.
Deputy Kelly said:
“Student nurses like many healthcare professionals are putting themselves out on the frontline working to protect us from the spread of COVID-19, but unlike many of their colleagues in our hospitals they are not being paid.
“Any fair-minded person would say that this is completely unacceptable for the times that we are in.
“Student nurses have already paid €3,000 in fees for the academic year which has been cut short, many have had to give up part-time jobs in other health-care settings to scrub up and join the fight against COVID-19. It isn’t right that they are not being remunerated in any way for their time or effort.
“Student nurses who are working in our hospitals have living expenses too, they cannot just be reliant on their parents, or take out costly student loans to sustain them. They deserve fair treatment and fair pay at this time.”