Ollie Crowe (Fianna Fail) | Oireachtas source

I thank the Minister of State for joining us in the House. As he and Members will be aware, cancer affects nearly every family in Ireland, with one in every three people receiving a diagnosis at some point in their lives.When that happens, access to timely and effective treatment is critical. Radiation therapy plays a vital role in cancer care, yet students training for this essential profession receive no financial support, uniform allowance, travel allowance or payment for clinical placements completed every year during their four-year degree programme. This is despite working full-time hours in hospitals. Unlike student nurses who receive a payment during their final year internship, radiation therapy students must complete an unpaid summer clinical placement. Many students rely on summer jobs to support themselves through college but this requirement makes it nearly impossible to earn enough money to cover expenses for the academic year.

As Members may also be aware, it was reported in December 2024 that a staffing crisis in radiation therapy contributed to the HSE spending almost €12 million in 18 months on contracting private hospitals to treat public cancer patients. By addressing the financial struggles facing radiation therapy students, we can address the staffing crisis and make this career path more attractive. As a result, we can save our health service money in the future by reducing the need to outsource to private hospitals. The Irish Institute of Radiography and Radiation Therapy, IIRRT, has also warned staffing deficits have led to machine closures in public hospitals, reducing capacity and worsening delays for cancer patients. The result is longer waiting lists, postponed treatments and potentially poorer outcomes for those in need of urgent care.

This is not just a student issue; it is a healthcare issue. Without financial support for radiation therapy students, staffing shortages will continue and directly impact on cancer patients across this country. If we invest in the students of today, this will pay dividends in the years ahead. There is no reason for these students to be treated less favourably than student nurses. We need to see swift action in this regard.