Coughlan pledges to restore student nurses pay in a Labour Government
Issued : Wednesday 9 February, 2011
Areas : Cork North West
Cllr. Martin Coughlan has restated his support for the INMO/USI campaign to restore payments to student nurses that go on 9 month placement at the end of their 4th year of college.
Speaking to constituents in Charleville today, Cllr. Coughlan pledged that he would work to restore nursing pay and reverse the planned cutbacks if elected to the Dáil on February 25th, but warned that it would have to happen in a government led by the Labour Party.
Labour candidate for Cork North West, Cllr. Martin Coughlan, said:
“I stand by my record of being the only candidate in Cork North West to come out in support of the student nurses of Cork.
As well as being expected to work for progressively less pay until they are paid nothing at all, these student nurses will be used to replace full-time nursing staff already under pressure from pay-cuts and staff shortages
A Labour-led government with Eamon Gilmore as Taoiseach will undoubtedly restore student nurses pay, using the savings we will achieve from our detailed plan to reform the HSE that Fianna Fáil mismanaged for 14 years and Minister Martin made a mess of.
Fine Gael have been slow or muddled in their pledges to student nurses, because they want to privatize the HSE and healthcare in Ireland.
Labour by contrast have been quite clear- investing in people and education is our priority to insure we have all have a better future.”
Cllr 
