Mark Daly (Fianna Fail)
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I thank the Minister of State, Deputy O'Donnell, for being with us.

Ollie Crowe (Fianna Fail)
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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.

Kieran O'Donnell (Limerick City, Fine Gael)
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I thank Senator Crowe for raising this matter today. I am taking this Commencement matter on behalf of my colleague, the Minister for Health, Deputy Carroll MacNeill.

Practice education placements for radiation therapy students are essential to support clinical skills development in the application of theory to patient care and attainment of regulatory standards of proficiency. Practice education offers opportunities for students to translate theoretical learning into practical experience, work in different settings and develop relevant practical skills. Across the health and social care disciplines, there are many students on placements in hospitals and healthcare settings, of which approximately one third are final year students. The length of placement and the activities performed during these placements vary between the disciplines. These students are not employees and are therefore not paid. In many cases, the nature of placement can mainly be limited to participation in an observing and learning capacity.

The length of placements for health and social care professions - HSCPs for short - and the activities performed during these placements varies between disciplines and is determined by the educational standards set by professional regulators. Practice placements for radiation therapy students takes place in two blocs in year one and two blocks in year two. Students must complete a minimum of 1,000 hours in clinical settings. Placements are provided in public and private healthcare settings. CORU registration requirements have been changed to bring Irish training requirements in line with international comparators. Practice hours have been reduced to 1,000 hours from 1,200 hours.

As Senator Crowe mentioned, radiation therapists play a vital role in the delivery of radiation therapy services and supporting patients through each step of their cancer journey. There are approximately 227 whole-time equivalent radiation therapists employed by the HSE. While on placement, radiation therapy students are not employees of the HSE and remain registered with the higher education institution throughout their placements. The nature of the placement is in a learning capacity under supervision meaning their status as a student is protected. In general, there are no allowances or payments for HSCP students while completing placement hours in the health service. Occupational therapy, speech and language therapy, physiotherapy or radiation therapy, dietetics and radiography students do not receive an allowance to support time spent in clinical placements as part of their training. As the Senator mentioned, uniquely for student nurses and midwives, there is in the final year a paid salary when they are specifically employed on internship placements. Student nurses’ and midwives’ final year internship placements consist of a continual 36-week rostered clinical placement, including annual leave. The internship placement is a paid placement as student nurses and midwives take a reduced caseload. During these placements, students are under supervision and are considered as 0.5 whole-time equivalents of the workforce. In addition, intern students can be allocated across all shift patterns, including nights, weekends and 12-hour days.

An independent review of the radiation therapy profession was finalised in 2024, making 16 recommendations in total. These recommendations intend to support the radiation therapy profession into the future. The review considered important issues such as organisational structure, career development in line with health and social care professional frameworks, strategic workforce planning, and recruitment and retention strategies. An oversight committee is being established by the HSE to implement the recommendations arising from the review.

Senator Crowe may also wish to note that there are a number of student grants and other financial supports available to students in further and higher education. Details are available from the Department of Further and Higher Education, Research, Innovation and Science.

I note the point the Senator raised and I will bring it back to the Minister, Deputy Carroll MacNeill.

Mark Daly (Fianna Fail)
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The Senator has one minute. Just to be aware, we will ask for a suspension of House because the Minister of State has to go for a vote in the Dáil Chamber. We will finish this one.

Kieran O'Donnell (Limerick City, Fine Gael)
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I am okay; I have a pair.

Mark Daly (Fianna Fail)
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Have you a pair? Okay.

Ollie Crowe (Fianna Fail)
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While I understand that any payments while on placement is a matter for the relevant employer, which in the public sector would be the HSE and, in other cases, private providers, regarding the HSE aspect, I believe there would be considerable benefit in the Minister for Health raising the issue with the chief executive of the HSE and agreeing on a path forward to address this. I have outlined the staffing issues, so I will not repeat them, but it makes this career path more attractive and it requires a focus. As the Minister of State proposed, I would be grateful if he could raise the matter with his colleague, the Minister, Deputy Carroll MacNeill.

Kieran O'Donnell (Limerick City, Fine Gael)
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I again thank Senator Crowe for raising this matter. The delivery of healthcare education programmes is complex and requires multiple parts of the health and education system working together. Practice education is a fundamental part of a student’s learning experience. The Department of Health provides supports to the HSE and other stakeholders to ensure essential practice placements are available for HSCP students.

It is recognised that many students in higher education experience financial difficulties. Consequently, a number of student grants and other financial supports are available to students in further and higher education. In budget 2025, there was a €1,000 reduction in the student contribution fee for higher education students who are eligible for free fees. The Department of further and higher education provides student grants to eligible applicants attending approved full-time undergraduate and postgraduate courses. Grants include maintenance grants, fees grants and student contribution grants. Budget 2024 increased the value of all maintenance grants. Students who are not eligible for a maintenance grant may still be eligible for a student contribution grant, which could cover the full student contribution charge, 50% of the charge or provide a €500 grant towards same. The income thresholds to qualify for the grants were increased in budget 2025 and the higher thresholds will come into effect in September of this year. In addition, students experiencing exceptional financial need may be eligible to apply for supports under the student assistance fund, which has been subvented by a further €10 million under the Government’s cost of education supports in budget 2025. This fund can be used to meet costs such as childcare, rent, transport costs, books and class materials.

The Senator raised a specific point in respect of the HSE, which I will bring back to the Minister for Heath, Deputy Jennifer Carroll MacNeill.

Mark Daly (Fianna Fail)
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I thank Senator Crowe for the question and I thank the Minister of State for being here. As there is a vote in the Dáil Chamber and the next Minister of State has gone to vote, I ask the Whip to propose a suspension until 3.05 p.m.

Garret Ahearn (Fine Gael)
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I propose a suspension of the House until 3.05 p.m.

Mark Daly (Fianna Fail)
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Is that agreed? Agreed.