SHORTAGE OF NURSES

Madam, - Following Ann Young's letter regarding An Bord Altranais making nursing a degree course, I would also like to ask the "powers that be" in An Bord Altranais why Irish students of nursing must be able to speak Irish and yet non-nationals that it has to recruit from abroad because of the shortage of nurses here are able to nurse without having to learn Irish.

Is there some mystery to this that I don't understand - perhaps they "make better nurses" or is it that their patients will improve more quickly if they are communicated to about their illness in Irish?

I have asked this question many times but nobody will tell me the answer. Does anybody know? - Yours etc.,

CAROL CARR,

READ MORE

Clonattin,

Gorey.