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JUST 84 APPLICATIONS for the graduate nursing scheme have been processed, Minister for Health James Reilly has revealed.
In response to a parliamentary question on Tuesday, Reilly said that the initiative, which offers 1,000 positions at a reduced rate of pay, was introduced on the basis of a phased intake over several months.
Industrial Relations Officer at the Irish Nurses and Midwives Association (INMO) Edward Matthews told TheJournal.ie today that it is confident that the low numbers applying for the jobs “are a testament to the effectiveness of the boycott”.
Ireland is in recession. People are crying out for work, but to under-value oneself now is to undervalue oneself for ever more. Nurses have worked hard for their degrees. They have done their unpaid work placements and their internships. They are fully qualified, registered nurses, who have all the responsibilities of any other nurse. To take contracts at this inappropriate rate of pay, with all the responsibility, is to undervalue their time and commitment and the degree course to which they applied themselves.
Reilly said the HSE will “continue to accept applications on an ongoing basis” and a second phase, which will cover mental health, intellectual disability, midwifery and paediatrics, will launch in the coming days. There will also be opportunities for those who graduate in 2013 to participate in due course.
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Great to see the ivory towers cracking. Well done nurses and guards among others standing up to these overpaid fat cat bullies perched on their pedestals
It’s great to see it, I can’t wait to see minister reilly trying to spin this one.
Keith, I can understand your anger and your inability to accept these terms of employment. I also understand how hard it is for recent graduates to even have a chance to get work. But I don’t feel that abusing the people in power helps. Yes they have a higher salery compared to a nurse or Garda. Do you not believe that these added responsibilities require reimbursement?. Just look at the comments on this thread against shatter and reilly, they ran for public office knowing they would be well paid but they also have there names dragged through the mud and especially in times like this they have to deal with a lot of negative publicity. Don’t get me wrong I completely agree they there is a enormous amount of waste in the governmental departments. But I just think we should have a little understanding at what they want and are trying to do. After all if it was up to you what would be your great plan??.( realistically )
hahaha
Wheres the great richard rodgers
he said these vacancies would be filled in a day
Ah frank don’t go there, was in a good mood til ye mentioned Dicky
hahaha Les
sorry man
Reilly and Shatter out!!
Good… Nurses are the glue that hold the health service together. Pay them a reasonable wage for the job they perform. Solidarity from a fellow healthcare worker… Not a nurse but see the good work they do every day of the week.
The move by the Director of Nursing in Kerry to tell 2012 Graduate nurses that they are being left go unless they apply for these lower paid jobs – ones they are already doing, is a sinister and shameful development, that proves that this is nothing other than a wage cutting exercise and nothing to do with creating new posts or giving experience to new grads – I hope the nurses can continue to hold tough on this and get the support they deserve from the public who will rely on them when they are in their point of greatest need and vulnerability.
@brian. Glad you brought that to the notice of the public, it’s not just in Kerry this will be happening, it’s all over. These nurses have already been employed at the present rate and management are terminating their contracts and asking them to re apply for the same job and accept a 20pc cut in their present pay. Absolutely disgraceful. I’m glad these nurses have held their resolve and stuck it out.
Numbers speak louder than words
As a Newly Qualified Teacher preparing to take a substantial cut when I finally get a full-time teaching job, I wish NQTs had the same level of integrity or solidarity that these nurses have. Good job them.
Not suprising the low number when you realise a HSE priest gets over double what these positions paid!
Can someone please advise me if the salary scales that I have seen on the below link are accurate for nurses wages at present? http://www.inmo.ie/7553 As I see it they are just about a reasonable wage, I don’t know if there’s allowances etc. similar to the Garda on top of this but if these are the salary scales then I agree with everything that has been said thus far about a cut being pretty much unacceptable. Has there been any indication as to what will happen when the required 1000 nurses complete their 2 year contract, will they go onto these scales at that stage or is that TBC also. I had originally been quite cynical about these protests but having seen the salary scales I can 100% say that the nurses are right to fight this tooth and nail.
Those are 2011 pay scales, there has been more cuts since then (I think around a 14%)
Cant understand this at all, if i was a rgn id be one of those 84….. I say drop the offer of 1000 places and paramedics instead even at 80% pay they would be filled in 2 days…. Hse are currently hiring ICOs so its a sign they could be hiring paras soon… Thank god.
Frontline staff shouldn’t be targeted. Non-frontline staff in the HSE should be.
Conor, their are jobs abroad, and the private secret are paying the going rate, nurses have options, options equals choice, hope this helps you understand
What do you find difficult to understand? If your boss turned round to you tomorrow and said they are going to give you 20% less wages than a colleague who does the exact same job as you would you have no problem with this?
Conor, the HSE is not the only employer of nurses.
Understand that and you’ll understand the issue.
@conor… That attitude won’t get you too far. Existing frontline ambulance staff are fighting tooth and nail too keep their pay and conditions from being slashed… People like you who are willing to work for 80% less are playing right into the governments hands!
That may be true, but for me its question of having a job or not, and being honest id rather have a professional job than being on the social. People always have choice, and they are difficult ones to make, nurses in fact all frontline staff should have to make the choice to leave this country just for work. Gardaí shoudnt have to contemplate taking a career break because there not enough money to pay wages. Its difficult times i know and it seem frontline/public sector are taking the worst of it, while the HSE is still top heavy with middle managent and a garda commissioner whos on nearly 200k a year. Crazy
Believe me Conor, 80% less of existing pay is not worth it. You may have a nice image in your head of bring a paramedic but in reality it’s not worth it if your not paid appropriately.
Conor the professional job would give you two years on lower pay then goodbye, terms and conditions the rest get don’t apply
@connor I’m exactly in the same boat as you. Was waiting for the paramedics to hire. Was speaking recently to a few friends who are in the service and I couldn’t afford to live on what they are taking home now let alone with a 20% deduction. By the time bills and mortgage paid I would have to get a second job. Especially as my wife is a member of the Gardai.
When ya say it like that, i can understand its not even worth it then… But just wait and see, when Gardaí and NAS open up half the country will be appying
Ok Conor. You are on the dole and you get this job. 5 years down the road and where do you find yourself? You are no longer just glad to be off the dole, you are in a job and working hard for your money. You are taking home €1,700 per month. Yourself and your partner have a child on the way and had to forget about a wedding because you couldn’t afford it.
Why would you want to work in that scenario?
Fair point, but are these not just experience posts for grads 2year contract?
Don’t they receive experience during their training. That’s like you being employed in NAS after your years internship being told well done here’s your green epaulettes then been told there is no work for you. As your position is needed for the next class of interns.
Connor, Nurses actually start ward training in year one of their degree, also a qualified nurse (grad nurse) has full responsibility of their patients whether their a nurse with 20 years experience or 1 year, it’s makes no odds so why should they be on minimum wage when their co-workers are on the proper payscale. Also the cleaners and tea-delivery staff would be on a lot more than a nurse? This makes no sense to me, while i respect every worker, they don’t have the same responsibility and pressure. I just have to say I visited someone this evening in the mather hospital and was shocked at how understaffed the ward was, the few nurses that were on just looked exhausted and so unhappy. They were running through the ward obviously to get their tasks done but it was very uncomfortable to watch, we all hear about the extremely high patient-nurse ratio but when you witness it, it’s very shocking to see what’s actually happening.
Still not gonna resign yet from. Stack.
Fr. Stack.
So solution?? Hire less nurses at current rate of pay instead of shafting them just for a few extra hands??
And when exactly is the last time you had to deal with a hospital Conor??? Less staff you say! If you want less staff and lower wages sack some of the fat cat consultants. Huge percentage of them are overpaid windbag. Leave the nurses alone. They are the ones keeping the s#1t hole hospitals going.
That has nothing to do with it? And i never had anything bad to say about nurses, this is about jobs for inexperienced graduates for 2 yr contracts. i also said offer less places for the same pay, not less staff and less pay
Sure everyone sees it when in a hospital, nurses burnt out because they do everything, while NCHDs also bear the strain while consultants have a great life, but thats the same in any sector, the higher you go the less the work load and more pay.
Conor , consultants do work hard, they are available 24 hours a day if needed, when something goes wrong they really are on the ball,
Two years then goodbye Conor , if you get a similar offer, the experience won’t get you a job in Ireland , the new bunch will be offered your post to give them experience,
Wake up, it’s a new rate of pay
Scabs!
Starting to understand now, thanks all
I see this as a success for the Government ……
the scurrilous media had the cheek to suggest only 80 young nurses had applied …………
the figure is in fact 84
Statistically this is a further 5% increase on reports ….
well done Government …we need all the statistical success we need !
bold media ………… Do ye not know that we have turned the corner …………….. we’re always turning the corner coz we’re going around in circles!
excellent last bit mr o’brien
does 3 thumbs down mean that we don’t like sarcasm , or we donn’t understand sarcasm or does it mean that , like Michael Fingerston , the government trolls are in single figures ? …… I don’t know – still turning that corner ! …bloody long corner …politically speaking it’s two taoisigh long at this stage !
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