Editorial: The nursing situation in Northern Ireland is not just due to lack of overall UK funding and unionists should not be suggesting that it is

The Irish government is funding trainee nurses in Northern Ireland, it is reported. Last weekend the Irish Times said that that Dublin had agreed to fund 250 student nurse places in NI universities, after it was reported that NI's Department of Health will axe 300 such places. Some 200 of the Irish funded places will be for students from the Republic.

This proposal, if it is as seems, raises questions, such as why Northern Ireland's Department of Health agree to such a scheme? And why the Republic of Ireland wants such a programme? It seems linked to its own nursing needs.

Sinn Fein's Stormont leader Michelle O’Neill naturally welcomed the southern investment, saying it was "fantastic news" that will offset "cruel" cuts to nursing places here. But the DUP former first minister Paul Givan's reaction almost had a similar rhythm to that of Ms O'Neill. He said the UK government should be "embarrassed" at the Irish assistance, and said the key problem was a lack of structural funding for NI. The Ulster Unionist Party was right to say that the announcement raises more questions than it answers" and to express "concerns" about it. But the UUP said the problem is “the wrong decision by the Northern Ireland Civil Service to cut 300 training positions".

This though is blaming lack of UK funding. In fact there are two core problems. The first is that NI, contrary to what Ms O'Neill and Mr Givan say, has vast funding from London but it is often badly spent. Unionists should be troubled by how our paymasters in Westminster view that. The second is that civil servants make decisions that need political considerations because the government was too frightened (of Ireland) to take control with unfettered direct rule. And Ireland is happy to swoop in, push the cross-border boundaries, and play the role of the good guy.