Pádraig Rice (Cork South-Central, Social Democrats)
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2117. To ask the Minister for Health the status of the six advanced practice posts for radiation therapy which were previously committed to; if the funding has been provided; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [19366/25]

Jennifer Carroll MacNeill (Dún Laoghaire, Fine Gael)
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The Department of Health is developing the Policy on Advanced Practice in Health and Social Care Professions. The development of an evidence-based policy is progressing, with work underway by officials in the Department of Health, in collaboration with the Health Service Executive (HSE) National Health and Social Care Professions (HSCP) office.

HSCP Advanced Practice involves the creation of advanced roles for health and social care professionals, including radiation therapists, enabling them to deliver high-quality, patient-centred care. The HSE National HSCP Office published the HSCP Advanced Practice Framework in 2023 and is committed to enhancing healthcare delivery by developing HSCP Advanced Practice services through the application of this framework. The HSE has established a multi-stakeholder Advanced Practice Implementation Oversight Group focused on drivers to the development of HSCP Advanced Practice services.

Budget 2025 provided funding to support continued growth of Advanced Practice in nursing and midwifery and to enable these roles to be rolled out for the first time for Health and Social Care Professionals. This investment includes funding for six Candidate Advanced Practice posts in radiation therapy to implement one of the recommendations of the recently finalised National Radiation Therapist Review in line with the Policy being developed on Advanced Practice in Health and Social Care Professions in 2025.