Colm Burke (Cork North Central, Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

I thank the Minister. As we outlined at the meeting in October, there are 30 training places per annum at Trinity and 12 master's degree courses at UCC. The master's programme is a two-year programme, whereas at Trinity it is a four-year course. I understand that for somebody who is studying diagnostic radiography, there is financial support for them to complete that course and, as a result, they sign a contract committing to two years' work with the HSE. The problem is that people who are qualifying as radiation therapists are being enticed into the private sector with bonuses. Could a grant or scholarship scheme be put in place for those doing the master's programme in Cork? The reason this is a priority area is that there is currently a 39% shortage of radiation therapists at CUH and scanners in that hospital as well as in Galway University Hospital and some of the Dublin hospitals are not operating.

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