Holly Cairns (Cork South West, Social Democrats)
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1061. To ask the Minister for Education and Skills his engagement with the Minister for Health to increase the number of graduates from clinical therapies, including but not limited to occupational therapy, physiotherapy, speech and language therapy and psychology to address shortages in the health services. [2427/23]

Simon Harris (Wicklow, Fine Gael)
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A joined up approach with the Department of Health, Department of Education and Department of Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth is necessary to determine system level demand in each therapy discipline. Officials in my Department are engaged with officials across these Departments in progressing this work.  

My Department remains committed to delivering a substantial increase across all healthcare areas in the higher education sector. This needs to be matched by clinical placements. This is largely in the control of the Department of Health in the therapy areas. Healthcare programmes are by their nature complex in delivery. In particular, securing appropriate long-term placements and placement supports is a key element in unlocking additional provision. It is also crucial that any increases in places are introduced in a sustainable way, so that higher education institutions can build appropriate staffing capacity. 

The HEA recently issued an Expressions of Interest to build capacity in Medicine, Nursing, Dentistry, Pharmacy and Veterinary.  This process was designed to respond swiftly to national skills needs, through either new programmes or expanding existing courses in these areas. The HEA intends to undertake a similar process in respect of therapy areas later in 2023. 

My Department will continue to engage regularly with the Department of Health, Education and Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth,  the HSE, the Higher Education Authority and the higher education sector to identify where additional places can and should be provided in the higher education system.