Simon Harris has announced that student nurses will be paid for the duration of the Covid-19 crisis.
The Health Minister has confirmed that all 4,000 student nurses and midwives will be offered a contract as a Healthcare Assistant and will be paid accordingly.
Mr Harris paid tribute the "brilliant work they are doing in this difficult time," adding, "we need all hands on deck".
This will allow students to complete their placement in a HCA role and continue to complete their course.
A Healthcare Assistant earns €28,000 a year.
In a live televised address to the nation on St Patrick’s Day, Taoiseach Leo Varadkar paid tribute to healthcare workers on the frontline, saying he was “proud” of the members of his family who work in the sector.
“Not all superheroes wear capes - some wear scrubs and gowns,” he said.
