Colm Burke (Cork North-Central, Fine Gael)
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1975. To ask the Minister for Health the progress made to increase the number of radiation practice tutors at University College Cork; if they will be made available for the coming academic year; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [21283/25]

Jennifer Carroll MacNeill (Dún Laoghaire, Fine Gael)
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Department of Health officials are engaging with the HSE regarding the provision of clinical placement supports in 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 5 sites providing radiation therapy and it is agreed that there should be one tutor post at each of those sites. This needs to be in the context of robust governance agreements with TCD and UCC (and any future domestic programmes) in relation to the numbers of students to be allocated to each site to ensure that the funded and supported capacity is fully utilised. This would apply to Galway in particular which is geographically distant from both universities but has good capacity to provide student placements. These governance arrangements and line of reporting for the tutors needs to be with the new HSCP Regional Integration Development Lead teams.

The Higher Education Authority are actively engaging with Higher Education Institutions on expansion of HSCP disciplines for 2025. Currently 1.5 WTE Radiation Therapy practice tutor posts are being funded through the Higher Education Authority. Funding for the remaining 3.5 WTEs is approved by the Department of Health and will be provided on the basis that this will deliver at a minimum the proposed 68% increase in first year training places in radiation therapy and that capacity in Galway is fully availed of for clinical placements for both courses as part of the agreement.

The HSE are developing a sustainable infrastructure for the delivery of clinical practice placements. Each of the six HSE Health Regions will be allocated a HSCP Regional Integration Development Lead. In May 2025 four of these HSCP Regional Integration Development Posts will be in place. The final two are going through the HSE appointment process following completion of interviews. The goal is for each of the six HSE Health Regions to have a team of three to support clinical practice placements by end of this year.