Réada Cronin (Kildare North, Sinn Fein)
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420. To ask the Minister for Health if he will accept all of the recommendations of the National Radiation Therapist Review Report; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [45557/24]

Réada Cronin (Kildare North, Sinn Fein)
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421. To ask the Minister for Health if he will commit to full implementation of the recommendations of the National Radiation Therapist Review Report on adequate staffing levels, to safeguard vital cancer services into the future; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [45558/24]

Duncan Smith (Dublin Fingal, Labour)
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441. To ask the Minister for Health if he plans to accept and implement the recommendations in the National Radiation Therapist Review Report on adequate staffing levels for cancer services; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [45619/24]

Thomas Gould (Cork North Central, Sinn Fein)
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453. To ask the Minister for Health if he will accept the recommendations of the National Radiation Therapist Review Report. [45704/24]

Stephen Donnelly (Wicklow, Fianna Fail)
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Firstly, I would like to acknowledge the incredibly important role of Radiation Therapists in the provision of cancer services in this country.

In Budget 2025, €23 million has been secured for the National Cancer Strategy, including access to new cancer medicines, expansion of cancer screening, funding for community cancer support centres, and implementation of the National Cancer Strategy. This will mean over €105 million has been invested into the Strategy since 2017.

Capital funding of over €140 million has been provided under the current National Cancer Strategy to deliver state of the art radiation oncology facilities in Galway and Cork, to update cancer infrastructure in chemotherapy wards and lab facilities for the benefit of patients, as well as investment in the new National Cervical Screening Laboratory.

I am glad that the independent review of the Radiation Therapist profession has been finalised. This strategic review considered important issues such as organisation structure, career development in line with Health and Social Care Professional Frameworks, strategic workforce planning and recruitment and retention strategies.

This review has published 16 recommendations which aim to help and support the Radiation Therapy profession into the future. An oversight group will be established to oversee the progression of these recommendations.

As the terms of reference for the review state, the implementation of any recommendations from the review will remain subject to the approval from the Departments of Health and Public Expenditure and Reform.

Investment in 2025 includes funding for eight additional staff for radiation therapy services and funding for six advanced practice posts for radiation therapy to implement one of the recommendations of the National Radiation Therapist Review.

With regard to Recommendation 8 and clinical practice supports, I am committed to working with the Minister for Further and Higher Education, Research, Innovation and Science to ensure the delivery of expansion of student training places in Radiation Therapy and ensuring there are clinical learning support hours at each of the five public radiotherapy facilities at Galway University Hospital, Cork University Hospital and three sites in Dublin through the St. Luke’s Radiation Oncology Network (SLRON). There are currently 1.5 WTE Radiation Therapy practice tutors funded through the Higher Education Authority. Department of Health officials are working with officials in the Department of Further and Higher Education, Research, Innovation and Science with regard to the expansion in student training places and the associated clinical placement hours required. My department will work with the Health Service Executive on establishing clinical learning supports aligned with clinical placement provision in each of the five sites.

As well as funding for posts, additional training places are being made available, and CORU registration requirements have been changed to bring Irish training requirements in line with international comparators.

Over 460 additional student places were provided in the Higher Education Sector on health-related courses in the academic year 2023/24. This included five additional Radiation Therapy places.