Up to 35 TUS Athlone nursing graduates 'left in limbo' as HSE contracts pulled

By Rebekah O'Reilly

Up to 35 nursing graduates from Technological University of the Shannon (TUS) Athlone have been 'left in limbo' after anticipated HSE employment contracts failed to materialise, with some now facing financial hardship and considering moving abroad to find work.

The development has overshadowed their graduation ceremony at TUS Athlone, which takes place next Wednesday, October 28, with students facing the prospect of completing four years of study without knowing when they can begin their nursing careers.

Katie McGee, a 22-year-old nursing graduate who lives in Athlone and is originally from Galway, said she had been unable to take up an expected position at Midlands Regional Hospital in Tullamore after being informed that her contract could not be approved due to the recruitment restrictions.

The graduates received notification through recruitment software Rezoomo advising them not to leave their existing employment, as appointments remained subject to approval processes and budgetary considerations.

Katie said she and two friends had rented a house in Athlone specifically because they expected to be working in the Midlands.

They have signed a 12-month lease and are now facing rental and living costs without the income they anticipated.

“The majority of us are on jobseekers allowance, and being a 22-year-old, I'm getting the low end of that,” Katie said.

“My whole jobseekers is going on my rent. I have no money left over for fuel, food, anything to do with heating.”

Katie said she had completed the recruitment process, including Garda vetting, payroll documentation and submitting her NMBI registration details.

She had initially been told she could start work between the middle and end of October, but was subsequently informed that her contract could not be approved.

“We feel really hard done by because we were told we were guaranteed jobs,” she said.

“We don't know when we're starting. I heard that it could be in two weeks, it could be in two months, it could be January. They don't know when this sanction is going to be lifted.”

The uncertainty comes amid tighter financial controls imposed on four of the six Health Service Executive (HSE) regions after they exceeded agreed spending limits by more than 2%, driven largely by overspending on staff pay, recruitment and agency costs.

The Dublin and Midlands Region is among those affected, with their financial autonomy not set to be restored until sustained improvements in financial controls and performance are demonstrated.

The situation has also prompted questions about previous commitments concerning the employment of nursing graduates.

Katie pointed to a February 2024 announcement concerning employment opportunities for newly qualified nurses, as well as commitments she understood were reaffirmed by the Workplace Relations Commission in April 2025 following industrial action.

Della Clarke, from Rosemount, is another graduate among those affected.

“(After the announcement) I was wondering why am I after doing four years in college to not have a job as a nurse that I was promised?” she said.

“I'm really upset and I'm really frustrated.”

While she would prefer to begin her nursing career in the HSE, Della said the uncertainty had prompted her to explore employment opportunities elsewhere.

She has begun looking into nursing positions in Belfast and London, and said she may consider moving to work in the NHS if a contract has not materialised by the end of January.

“We interviewed for jobs in the HSE. We all want to do our nursing in the HSE,” she said.

“If I don't get a contract by the end of January, I might move to work in the NHS by March.”

The graduates have sought assistance from local politicians, with Katie contacting 13 TDs on behalf of those affected. She said only five had responded at the time of her interview.

Among those to respond are Westmeath TDs Peter Burke and Sorca Clarke, who have both indicated that they had raised the matter with Minister for Health, Jennifer Carroll MacNeill, or the HSE.

The graduates are seeking answers from the HSE and Department of Health about why their contracts have not materialised and when they can expect to begin work.

In response to a query by this paper, a spokesperson for the HSE Dublin and Midlands said: "HSE Dublin and Midlands remains committed to employing all graduate nurses across our acute and mental health services.

"We understand the uncertainty this delay is causing and the impact it has on those awaiting confirmation. We are actively working through the required approvals and are hopeful that contracts will issue shortly.

"We look forward to welcoming these graduates to our services and value the important contribution they will make to patient care."