Pay and conditions forcing Irish nurses abroad, says union

IRISH nurses’ pay and conditions must be improved to help newly trained professionals to remain working in Ireland, a nurses’ union official said last night.

A surge in demand for places on nursing degrees saw the requirements for most of the around 40 such courses rise in the Central Applications Office (CAO) points published yesterday.

David Hughes, deputy general secretary of the Irish Nurses Organisation, said it was welcome news that nursing is being seen as a desirable course. But, he warned the profession must be made more attractive to stop thousands of Irish nurses leaving to work abroad.