Carthy challenges Cavan Monaghan colleagues on failure to support Student Nurses
Cavan Monaghan Sinn Féin TD Matt Carthy has called on his constituency colleagues in Cavan Monaghan to explain why they supported the continuation of ‘the exploitation of student nurses’ when they voted against a motion to provide pay to them last week.
A Dáil motion calling for government to commit to paying student nurses was narrowly rejected last week. Deputy Carthy and his party colleague, Pauline Tully, supported the motion. However, it was rejected in favour of a government amendment that refused to pay student nurses which was supported by Fianna Fáil TDs Niamh Smyth and Brendan Smith and Fine Gael Minister Heather Humphreys.
Teachta Carthy said:
“The votes of the three government TDs from Cavan Monaghan was pivotal. Had they supported our student nurses, the motion calling for them to be paid would have been passed.
“Many people then further were shocked and astounded to see a Fianna Fáil statement subsequently state that student nurses don’t do ‘real work’.
“The nurses I’ve spoken with over the past number of months have outlined workloads that would put many politicians to shame.
“Student nurses and midwives deserve to be paid – they are a critical part of our healthcare infrastructure, and it is not acceptable, particularly in the midst of a pandemic, to leave them out in the cold like this.
“The work they carry out goes much farther than what is required in their studies. Anyone involved in healthcare will be familiar with student nurses providing cover well beyond what their placements ask of them.
“Our student nurses have delivered everything that has been asked of them this year.
“Over 11,000 healthcare workers contracted the virus including student nurses. They have been unable to work the part-time jobs they normally would have due to fears of cross-contamination and have not complained.
“Any ask that has been made of them has been met. The only thing they are asking for in return is to be paid for their work, and this governments response is that they don’t do ‘real work’.
“Those Cavan Monaghan TDs who refused to support our student nurses most explain their actions. For our part, we in Sinn Féin will continue to support all our front-line healthcare workers, including our student nurses.”
ENDS
