Membership of the new National Council for the Professional Development of Nursing and Midwifery was announced by the Minister for Health and Children, Mr Cowen, at the weekend. He said it would facilitate the development of the 1,250 clinical nurse specialist posts. The council will formulate guidelines to assist health boards in the creation of specialist nursing and midwifery posts. The chairman is Mr William Dunbar, former nursing director and chief executive officer of St James's Hospital, Dublin.