Student nurses will now receive payment while working through the COVID-19 crisis

Minister for Health, Simon Harris, has announced that student nurses will be paid for the duration of the COVID-19 crisis.

There are currently 4,000 student nurses in the country.

They will be employed as Healthcare Assistants at a salary of €28,000 a year.

Student nurses will be asked to apply online at HSE.ie/oncall.

Harris says this is an offer and not an obligation.

The Minister also praised the students for the "... brilliant work they are doing in this difficult time... We need all hands on deck."