Student nurses to gain about €4,000 as Landsdowne Road Agreement comes into effect

Student nurses and midwives will have their pay increased from next month.

During their fourth-year placement, they will now be able to earn €9.48, which is 70% of the entry scale for staff nurses.

The decision, which arises from the Landsdowne Road Agreement, comes into effect on March 1 and will benefit around 1,400 student nurses this year and in subsequent years.

Secretary general of the INMO Liam Doran said the pay restoration would also add to their ability to rise up the pay ranks more quickly.

"What it means is that after 16 weeks when they have qualified they will move to the second point of the scale which is worth just over €2,000," he said.

"Between the last (fourth) year of their training and shortly after qualifying it's worth about €4,000 to a graduating nurse or midwife."

He added it would "hopefully help to recruit and retain those young professionals in the Irish public health service which is what we all require because we're grossly understaffed at the moment."