The government has voted against a motion to pay student nurses and midwives who are in placements during the COVID-19 pandemic.

Fianna Fáil, Fine Gael and the Green Party all opposed the Solidarity-People Before Profit motion, which was defeated by 77 votes to 72.

Student nurses and midwives had been receiving the healthcare assistant rate when the pandemic began, but this has since been withdrawn.

Mick Barry, Solidarity TD for Cork North-Central, and Colm Burke, Fine Gael TD for Cork North-Central, joined us to debate the issue.