A total of 55 students have begun their nursing education at the new School of Nursing in Co Mayo. The course is run by the Western Health Board with Galway-Mayo Institute of Technology at its Castlebar campus.
General nursing studies has attracted 40 students, while 15 students are training as psychiatric nurses. Mature students make up a large proportion of the intake.
Speaking after the school's official opening, Dr Tom Moffat, Minister of State for Health, said: "Additional specialised medical and nursing staff are being recruited for the course and their expertise will also be available at Mayo General Hospital.
"The upgrading of the helicopter pad at Mayo General is to begin straightaway and we hope to develop this school to include the education of paramedics also," he added.
Among the first students are husband and wife Michael and Agnes Carroll. Mr Carroll said it was 20 years since he left school, "and this new course here in Castlebar is ideal".
