Simon Harris (Wicklow, Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

The Deputy is entirely correct. There are two parts to this. We have to both train enough people and retain enough people in the health service and, obviously, issues of retention are for my colleague the Minister for Health. Nevertheless, I understand a local arrangement is in place between the HSE South/South West Hospital Group whereby the former provides support to diagnostic radiography students of about €5,000 per annum in return for the two-year commitment to which the Deputy referred. There is also a long-standing arrangement in place with the HSE and the former health boards to recruit trainee clinical psychologists and to sponsor their training as well. There are examples, therefore, of where this can be done, and I will certainly relay the Deputy’s feedback to the Minister for Health.

More broadly, the Deputy is entirely correct. My Department’s job is to work with other line Departments and agencies to make sure we provide enough places at our higher education institutions to train the students and graduates we require for the health service, the public service and the needs of industry. There is little more important than cancer care and radiation therapy. It is a vital area and there is a strong willingness in both Departments to make this work if we can get the progress on those clinical placements and tutors. I would ask both institutions to intensively engage with both Departments in the coming days, as I know they will, to try to make progress on this.

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