The Irish Nurses and Midwives Organisation wants the government to open up more ways to train to become a nurse or midwife in Ireland, other than the CAO.
The Department of Further Education figures show that for the 2022/23 academic year, just 8% of the total nursing places available were allocated to those with a QQI or FET qualification, instead of CAO points.
Speaking to RedFM News, the INMO's Colm Porter says the people from all kinds of backgrounds should be encouraged into nursing:
"We'd like to see more nurses trained in Ireland and also stay in Ireland as well once they get trained. There's a shortage of nurses in Ireland and there's a shortage of nurses across the world. The HSE are trying to recruit nurses from abroad and that is a struggle. The HSE and the Government need to work to increase that supply, there should be other routes there to get people involved in nursing from all kinds of backgrounds."
