Louis O'Hara (Galway East, Sinn Fein)
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374. To ask the Minister for Health for an update on the funding and recruitment of advanced nurse practitioners (details supplied); and if she will make a statement on the matter. [27822/25]

Jennifer Carroll MacNeill (Dún Laoghaire, Fine Gael)
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There has been an unprecedented level of investment by Government in the health service workforce since 2020. As of April 2025, there were 29,232 more staff working in our health service than there were at the beginning of 2020 which includes an additional 10,184 nurses and midwives.

As a result of continued investment in advanced practice, the percentage of the total nursing and midwifery workforce at advanced practice level increased from 1.9% in December 2022 to over 2.5% in March 2025. The Programme for Government 2025 supports the increase in the number of advanced practice roles for nurses and midwives. Budget 2025 allocated €5.5 million to support this continued growth.

As the Deputy’s query is an operational matter, I have asked the Health Service Executive to respond to the Deputy directly, as soon as possible.