Nursing Degree places will be reduced by 16% in 2009

cabinteelytom

The Cork Examiner reported this yesterday (irishexaminer.ie 25th October). The reduction of 310 places to 1570 will be spread accross the university and institute of technology sectors and geographically. 'A spokesman for the HSE confirmed the figures were accurate.' The Irish Nurses Organisation's general secretary observed, these cuts will make the health service even more reliant on overseas nurses.
Comment:The elderly population of Ireland (the demographic group in which illness is concentrated) is increasing. Tne population of Ireland is increasing; estimated by some to be soaring to 7 million in a few decades. Recent protests in the streets indicate that even the current generation ( of relatively self-sacrificing elderly) intend to get some treatment before they slough this mortal coil and leave us their pension funds.
Could our Government think that some other state will choose accurately the persons suited to a career nursing the Irish elderly, educate them at that country's expence, and send them here to be a compliant and undemanding workforce?
In the recent budget 'infrastructure projects' were spared-planning for our future, so it would appear. Should 'skills infrastructure' projects also be spared?
Does anyone understand/explain this decision?

The_Minister

Most nurses that we spend many thousands training, then **** off overseas, and we have to import more nurses.

Also, we aren't currently hiring that many nurses, and don't need the ones that have already been trained and not placed.

beggars_bush

you will see all colleges offer more places on all courses to foreign students from now on. africa, asia, america

they will want the €€€€

especially medicine, nursing, engineering, science etc

leninbenjamin

beggars_bush wrote: »

they will want the €€€€

it's not a case of 'wanting' it, it's a case of needing it to remain up to standard.

EamonnKeane

The_Minister wrote: »

Most nurses that we spend many thousands training, then **** off overseas, and we have to import more nurses.

And why do the **** off overseas? Because working conditions aren't good enough. So perhaps they could be improved?

genericgoon

beggars_bush wrote: »

you will see all colleges offer more places on all courses to foreign students from now on. africa, asia, america

they will want the €€€€

especially medicine, nursing, engineering, science etc

If you want a free third level system then someone has to cough up. And since students aren't willing to do it and since the government certainly isn't, then the Universities will have to offer these places to overseas students in increasing numbers to keep things from falling apart. There is no such thing as free third level education it seems.

djpbarry

beggars_bush wrote: »

you will see all colleges offer more places on all courses to foreign students from now on. africa, asia, america

they will want the €€€€

especially medicine, nursing, engineering, science etc

In fairness, most third-level institutions have difficulty filling all their courses in science and engineering. In DIT, there have been engineering courses scrapped due to lack of interest. If there are people outside the EU who want to take these places, then I say open the doors and let them in. Sure, some will head home once they receive their qualifications, but some will stay and you can never have too many scientists and engineers in an (ailing) economy.

Breezer

genericgoon wrote: »

There is no such thing as free third level education it seems.

There's no such thing as free anything, everything has to be paid for by someone at some point. I agree completely with the last two posts.

But what I'm interested to know is whether the reduction is in total places or places allocated to students coming through the Leaving Cert./CAO system?

genericgoon

djpbarry wrote: »

In fairness, most third-level institutions have difficulty filling all their courses in science and engineering. In DIT, there have been engineering courses scrapped due to lack of interest. If there are people outside the EU who want to take these places, then I say open the doors and let them in. Sure, some will head home once they receive their qualifications, but some will stay and you can never have too many scientists and engineers in an (ailing) economy.

I think the problem with this is that most of these overseas students do not come here to do Science or Engineering but to fill places in the more 'prestigous' faculties, in particular medicine. Thus the points for Irish students are inflated in these courses. However, like I've said before the Irish students who get to study medicine for 'free' are only able to do it due to these overseas students coughing up so much on fees.

Breezer

genericgoon wrote: »

I think the problem with this is that most of these overseas students do not come here to do Science or Engineering but to fill places in the more 'prestigous' faculties, in particular medicine. Thus the points for Irish students are inflated in these courses. However, like I've said before the Irish students who get to study medicine for 'free' are only able to do it due to these overseas students coughing up so much on fees.

Points for Medicine will come down significantly due to the introduction of aptitude testing this year.

gurramok

Don't we have too many nurses hence the reduction needed?

I did read somewhere(maybe it was Sunday Times, cannot remember) that there are more nurses here per head of population than in the super good French health service, that says something?