A number of pharmacy students have gathered outside the Dáil to protest against unpaid work placements.
Students attending these mandatory work placements used to be compensated with up to €22,000, but the payment is being scrapped from 2019 onwards. Students will now be expected to carry out full duties in a responsible and professional manner, but without receiving any reward, which may lead to feelings of exploitation and being taken advantage of.
As it happens, the entry fee for the final year is now going up from f €7,000 to €8,500, which will add to the student’s financial burden.
