McGuinness says he’ll make sure student nurses are paid but Minister Noonan says trainees are not paid in public sector placements

John McGuinness says he will make sure that student nurses are paid for their work.

But Minister Malcolm Noonan says it would just not be normal for students to be paid for their placements.

Local Government TDs were criticised for voting against an opposition motion calling for them to be paid the same as healthcare assistants in the Dáil on Wednesday night.

Fianna Fail’s Deputy John McGuinness says he voted against it so the government can finish its review of the situation.

And he says they will then introduce a package of allowances that will work out better for student nurses than the People Before Profit motion.

Heritage Minister Malcolm Noonan says student nurses who lost out on part time jobs due to the pandemic will get backdated PUP payments.

But it looks like they won’t be paid for placements in hospitals because Minister Noonan says it simply isn’t normal practice for students and trainees in the public sector and would other contracts in other areas, like for doctors, Gardai and teachers.