Brendan Smith (Cavan-Monaghan, Fianna Fail) | Oireachtas source

One thing the parents have highlighted to me in meetings and correspondence is that there has been no international recruitment for such healthcare professionals. The Minister, Deputy Donnelly, might take an interest in this as well. There was success in recruiting nurses over the years from the Philippines and elsewhere. Some parents put forward a suggestion regarding international recruitment. Is there an issue with permits for people with the relevant qualifications? I do not think the National Treatment Purchase Fund, NTPF, is being used in this area either. There is a question mark over the recognition or status of reports from private practitioners. This area needs to be addressed. If there is capacity within the private sector to buy in that necessary work and expertise, we need to do so urgently. Are there proposals to increase the number of places in our colleges to train such therapists? One other possibility that has not been considered, to my knowledge, is final-year students doing some practical work while they complete their studies.

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