I thank all the TDs who contributed today. Nursing in Ireland is a modern and highly skilled profession built on education, research and continuous professional development. This evening we heard from across the Chamber a shared understanding and deep appreciation of the vital role that nurses play across our health service. There is also a shared commitment to ensuring they are supported. My own daughter is a nurse and I am very proud of her. As a mother and as a Minister of State in the Department of Health I understand and appreciate the importance of our nurses. In supporting our health and well-being, nurses are present at every point of care and at every stage of our lives. They bring skills, care and humanity in an absolutely brilliant way. They do so in the most complex clinical environments while also shaping new ways of working that respond to patients' needs, demographic pressures and changing models of care. I want to acknowledge the nurses within my own remit, those working within addiction services, social inclusion healthcare and sexual health clinics, and the nurses who support Healthy Ireland in its work. I thank all the nurses for their work, often with our most vulnerable people and in some very challenging settings. They are crucial to so much of what our health services do. They are the backbone of our health services. I reaffirm the Government's firm commitment to ensuring that Ireland has a strong, sustainable and future-focused nursing workforce. The actions we are taking are not short-term measures; they are a long-term investment in the health and well-being of our people. We do not, however, underestimate the challenges that nurses continue to face in their day-to-day work. The reality of heavy workloads, staffing pressures and the complexity of modern healthcare is well understood. Addressing these issues requires long-term planning and investment. To address these issues we are expanding the supply of nurses. Ireland now has 14.3 practising nurses per 1,000 head of population, one of the highest ratios in Europe. Over 93,000 nurses and midwives are registered with the Nursing and Midwifery Board of Ireland, the highest number ever recorded. This growth is the result of sustained investment, with €28.5 million allocated to fund more than 1,100 additional healthcare training places every year for the next three years. Nursing places have increased by 23% since 2020, with a further 275 places secured in Northern Ireland. We continue to work closely with the higher education sector to expand domestic training capacity across all health professions. Increasing numbers is only part of our responsibility to our nurses. We have also introduced supports for student nurses, acknowledging the amount of training time that is spent learning in clinical environments. We recognise that they are learners and students first of all, not employees. It is important that student nurses get the full college experience, immersing themselves in knowledge, research and learning through practice. The Government has strengthened the financial support available to student nurses and midwives. There is an enhanced travel and subsistence scheme, a targeted €500 annual meal allowance and additional uniform and laundry supports. We have reinstated the final year internship pay at 80% of the first year staff nursing salary. These measures ensure that no student is left behind because of financial pressures. Everyone who wants to become a nurse and has the skills and dedication should not be held back by costs. We have also delivered the most reforms in nursing education in decades. We have huge reforms. The new NMBI undergraduate standards reflect the reality of modern healthcare, whether it is digital enabled, integrated or community based, and this also aligns with Sláintecare. As mentioned by the Minister for Health earlier, the expert review body on nursing and midwifery continues to provide the blueprint for the future of this profession. Its 47 recommendations present an ambitious programme of reform to further empower nurses and midwives to deliver high-quality care across all settings. These positive impacts of the expert review body are clear. The workforce is benefiting from strengthening leadership and governance structures, from recruitment development to health regions, and from workforce planning based on evidence with a strong focus on staff health and well-being. I also want to acknowledge that Irish nursing and midwifery has a respected and established global reputation. We know we have a huge global reputation. Our evidence-based approach to safe staffing and evidence-based practice is increasingly recognised across Europe and beyond, reinforcing Ireland's position as a global leader in nursing and midwifery reform. We are so well respected around the world and we are credited for the work that they do. I compliment all our nurses. Our evidence-based approach to safe staffing and evidence-based practice is increasingly recognised and reinforced. We are also making improvements in advanced practices. Over 1,300 nurses and midwives now work at advanced level. This represents 2.7% of the workforce. We are firmly on track to reach the target of 3% of nurses and midwives working at advanced level. We can also look forward to the findings of the national evaluation on the impact of evidence-based nursing and midwifery practices. Nurses in Ireland are central to reform, innovation and safety. Whether through new models of care, expanding scopes of practice or digital-enabled pathways, nurses are leading innovation across acute community and specialist settings. We are investing in education, supporting students, modernising training and expanding advanced practice. The Government is aware of the challenges that nurses experience at work. Earlier, my colleagues the Minister, Deputy Jennifer Carroll MacNeill, and the Minister of State, Deputy Mary Butler, referred to the Irish Nurses and Midwives Organisation survey highlighting the high levels of burnout and stress and the exposure to growing levels of violence and aggression that nurses face. This is a concern for everyone. The survey is a timely reminder that we cannot take our healthcare staff for granted. They deserve a safe working environment and it is the Government's responsibility to support this. Nurses work every day in hospitals, community services, mental health, children's health, midwifery, disability, public health and specialist settings. They provide skilled care with compassion and grounded in professionalism. I am sure most of us can remember a time when a nurse provided reassurance and comfort to us in respect of a family member, whether at an appointment, during a hospital stay or ahead of an operation. Their role is truly invaluable and their work makes a profound difference every day. It is important that we are mindful of and remain focused on implementation of policy change that supports a strong and sustainable workforce. This is an aim that we in Government, the Department of Health, the HSE, and representative bodies all share. Together we want to shape a health service that is resilient, modern and firmly centred on the needs of patients and communities. I want to take this opportunity on International Nurses Day to again place on record my sincere appreciation for the nurses across Ireland. Go raibh míle maith agat.

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