Ms Fiona O'Byrne:

On the first point, the accreditation of programmes by CORU or other professional regulators is a matter for the Department of Health. CORU is an independent regulator, so we do not have a role in that process.

On the wider issue of securing placements, in mid-2022, the Department of Further and Higher Education, Research, Innovation and Science established a working group with colleagues in the Department of Health, CORU, the HSE and the higher education sector to identify and address the barriers to expanded provision for the health and social care professions, HSCP. As part of that work, the group identified placements as the key issue constraining expansion. Since that work has commenced the HSCP office within the HSE has progressed significant work on an educational practice placement framework to oversee the governance of placements, with those kinds of issues in mind. I understand that in recent weeks the Department of Health has also appointed a HSCP officer to drive that forward so there is a renewed focus on coming to a more joined-up approach to placements.