I could go but I’ll stay if they offer me training
EVELYN Farrelly is a newly qualified nurse and says that she could get a job in Britain tomorrow if she wanted.
But the 22-year-old hopes to stay in Ireland if education opportunities are available so she can progress in her career.
Ms Farrelly, from Cavan, said: ‘In the UK they really want young people with drive for these opportunities. They will provide the education for you to specialise.
‘That is something I would be interested in and that is the reason I would go abroad to avail of those opportunities for career progression.’
But she added: ‘My friends are abroad and they say it’s not all it’s cracked up to be and it’s difficult leaving family and friends.
‘I want to stay at home myself but if I didn’t get the career progression that I am fit for, and I think I am enthusiastic for, then I would go. But if I do get that here then I would stay and just travel for holidays.’
She said health chiefs here will have to make education opportunities available to attract nurses home to work.
‘If you wanted to be an ICU [intensive care] nurse or a respiratory nurse then you should be able to be educated in that area. I think that would bring people back.’
The Dundalk Institute of Technology graduate said that pay levels should be restored to their old level before austerity cuts were imposed. The working week should be brought back to 37 hours from its current level of 39 hours, she said.
‘I only know the 39-hour week. I know no different but it would be nice to have those hours cut off for us,’ said Ms Farrelly.