Louise O'Reilly (Dublin Fingal, Sinn Fein)
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318. To ask the Minister for Health if it is a medical radiologist or a dentist holding a level-nine higher degree in dental and maxillofacial radiation, such as the qualification held by the dental adviser to the medical exposure radiation unit, who should take clinical responsibility in circumstances (details supplied); and if he will make a statement on the matter. [16073/19]

Simon Harris (Wicklow, Fine Gael)
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The European Union (Basic Safety Standards for Protection Against Dangers Arising from Medical Exposure to Ionising Radiation) Regulations 2018 (S.I. 256 of 2018) transpose the medical provisions of the Basic Safety Standards Directive 2013/59/Euratom.

The Regulations place an obligation on an undertaking to ensure that all medical exposures take place under the clinical responsibility of a practitioner. 

A person is prohibited from taking clinical responsibility for an individual medical exposure unless the person taking such responsibility is (a) a registered dentist within the meaning of the Dentists Act 1985, (b) a registered medical practitioner within the meaning of the Medical Practitioners Act 2007, or (c) a person whose name is entered in the register established and maintained by the Radiographers Registration Board pursuant to section 36 of the Health and Social Care Practitioners Act 2005. Furthermore the Regulations require that an undertaking provides for a clear allocation of responsibilities for the protection of patients, asymptomatic individuals, carers and comforters, and volunteers in medical or biomedical research from medical exposure to ionising radiation.

A dentist taking clinical responsibility for making 3-dimensional radiation exposures must be in compliance with the above Regulations.