Ms Alessandra Fantini:

I will try to address the Senator's first question and I will hand over to my colleague for the second. In terms of the specific profession, I am not aware of any shortage but we know the agency has embarked on a big recruitment drive across all professions, including health and social care professionals. It is targeting health and social care professionals to implement the shift to community care that it is trying to effect with the reform of Sláintecare. The number of health and social care professionals in general has increased by 157 whole-time equivalents, WTEs, from the end of December to the end of April. The agency is addressing recruitment in a number of different ways. I apologise that I do not have a specific view on shortages. They have not come to our attention in this particular profession, but I can make inquiries of my colleagues.