Maynooth University will formally launch its new School of Nursing later today.
The university welcomed its first students in September, following full approval by the Nursing and Midwifery Board of Ireland during the summer.
“Our programme places community and primary care at the centre of nurse education,” said Professor Fintan Sheerin, Founding Head of the School of Nursing.
“Rather than training solely for hospital settings, we are preparing graduates to support health and wellbeing where people live – in homes, clinics and community care hubs,” he said.
The School of Nursing will be officially opened by James Lawless – the Minister for Further and Higher Education, Research, Innovation and Science – later today.
“This launch marks an important milestone in advancing Sláintecare and strengthening healthcare delivery across the region,” said Kate Killeen White, Regional Executive Officer, HSE Dublin and Midlands Region.
“By training nurses locally and aligning education with service delivery, we’re building a sustainable workforce ready to deliver high-quality, person-centred care closer to home,” she said.
The first intake of 27 students began the BSc in General Nursing in September, with numbers due to rise to 100 within four years to meet national demand for nursing education.