Michael Ring (Mayo, Fine Gael)
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570. To ask the Minister for Health his views on the need for additional third level pharmacy student places; the proactive steps that he has taken to ensure that additional places are made available; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [47308/22]

Stephen Donnelly (Wicklow, Fianna Fail)
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My department is aware of increasing intelligence being received through media, PQs and representations of a reported shortage of qualified pharmacists both in hospital and community practice. A number of agencies and stakeholders are now beginning to review this question and consider the impact, role, responsibility and accountability from their own perspectives, and the contributions they might make to mitigate. The Department is engaging both internally and with these external stakeholders, including the Department of Higher Education, Research, Science and Technology to fully assess the reported issue of shortages in the pharmacist workforce and to identify necessary actions to be taken in the short, medium and longer term.

Workforce challenges are being experienced in other sectors nationally, and in the pharmacy sector in a range of other countries. This re-enforces the need for robust data for Ireland to be best able to determine the current landscape, assess future health system needs and understand existing sectoral challenges now and into the future. The gathering of and analysis of up-to-date, robust and relevant data, will be a basis for recommendations that can be proposed to address Ireland’s needs as our integrated healthcare system evolves, and in the context of Sláintecare implementation.

I will continue to engage as necessary with government colleagues, including with colleagues in the Department of Further and Higher Education, Research, Innovation and Science in addressing relevant issues as they arise.