Our CEO, Sheila McClelland has welcomed the announcement of 692 additional places for nursing and midwifery education programmes by Government last month. 

Sheila was a member of the Higher Education Authority’s Expert Advisory Panel which was set up to review opportunities for new additional places in education programmes for a number of professions. She joined the panel as representative of the professional and regulatory body responsible for nursing and midwifery. 

Speaking about the impact of the additional places, Sheila said: “We welcome the announcement of almost 700 additional places in nursing and midwifery education programmes in higher education bodies by Government. These additional places will help ensure we continue the work to address the shortage of nurses and midwives in the healthcare sector and create new pathways for entry into the professions. It is timely as the publication of the first edition of standards and requirements for graduate entry nursing education programmes means that education bodies can now commence development of this entry pathway. 

“We look forward to engaging with the Department and education bodies to ensure that nurses and midwives continue to be educated to the highest possible standard to meet the needs of the healthcare sector and Irish population into the future.”  

Further details about the additional places and a breakdown of them is available from the Department of Further and Higher Education website.