Hospital jobs confirmed for 36 unemployed newly qualified Midland nurses
‘They should not have been left waiting’ - Laois TD Willie Aird
The plight of 36 newly qualified Midlands nurses that were waiting since last June for the HSE to offer them jobs in Midlands regional hospital Portlaoise, Tullamore and Mullingar, has been resolved.
Laois Fine Gael TD Willie Aird has welcomed confirmation from the Department of Health that all 36 newly qualified nurses awaiting employment contracts at three Midlands hospitals have now been given start dates.
Deputy Aird said on Thursday, November 12 he had received confirmation that the contracts had been approved and that the matter had been rectified following his intervention in Dáil Éireann earlier this week.
The nurses, who completed their training and professional registration and passed the HSE recruitment process in June, had been waiting to take up positions at hospitals in Portlaoise, Tullamore and Mullingar.
Deputy Aird raised the issue with Minister of State Jennifer Murnane O’Connor during a Dáil debate on Tuesday, seeking clarity on when the graduates would receive contracts and be able to begin work.
“I am pleased to have received confirmation from the Department of Health that all 36 nurses have now been given start dates and that assurances have been provided that their contracts are approved,” he said.
“This is the outcome we wanted. These are qualified nurses who have successfully completed their training and the recruitment process. They were ready to start work and should not have been left waiting for contracts and start dates.
“While I welcome the Minister's intervention and the fact that this matter has now been rectified, the Department must examine why this delay occurred in the first place.
“Graduates should not have to wait months after completing the recruitment process to take up positions they have been offered. I am happy that the Minister has acted following my raising the issue in the Dáil this week and that these nurses can now move forward with their careers,” the Laois TD said.
Laois Sinn Féin Senator Maria McCormack had also highlighted the issue recently, saying she had been contacted by some of the nurses.
She said that the nurses had been “sidelined” due to recruitment restrictions.