Martin Browne (Tipperary, Sinn Fein)
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1029. To ask the Minister for Education and Skills the preparations being made, and the measures being put in place to address the shortage of training spaces for dieticians; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [13332/23]

Simon Harris (Wicklow, Fine Gael)
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Significant engagement is ongoing between my Department, and the Department of Health to develop a joined-up approach to meet system level demand across the health sector.

My Department does not place a quota on the number of places available on programmes leading to entry to the profession of dietitian, that is decided by the relevant HEIs according to their capacity.

There are some fundamental issues, which are in the control of the health sector, which are prerequisites to enable expansion. These relate to guarantees of clinical placements, detailed and robust workforce planning projections and engagement with regulators. In addition to qualifying additional dieticians, success in the recruitment and retention of health professionals by the health sector will be key.

Future growth of provision in the higher education sector will be dependent on action in these areas by the appropriate authorities in the health sector.

A working group, including representation from the Department of Health, HSE and CORU, as well as the higher education sector, has been established to specifically examine how placements can be secured to facilitate greater numbers of training places.

The Higher Education Authority (HEA) recently sought expressions of interest from higher education institutions interested in building capacity in Dentistry, Pharmacy, Medicine, Nursing, and Veterinary from academic year 2024-25 or 2025-26. The HEA have advised higher education institutions that it intends on using a similar Expression of Interest process in 2023 to build capacity in the therapy disciplines.

My Department is committed to working closely with the Department of Health and its agencies to ensure that the conditions are in place to support further growth in educational provision.