Aisling Dempsey (Meath West, Fianna Fail)
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2543. To ask the Minister for Health if she will report on the work of the independent expert carrying out a comprehensive assessment of the physician assistant role internationally, with a view to making recommendations for standardisation, scope of practice, and appropriate deployment in Ireland; if the assessment has been commenced; if it has been completed; when it will be published; whether the recruitment pause on physician assistant will be maintained while the assessment process is ongoing; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [46678/25]

Jennifer Carroll MacNeill (Dún Laoghaire, Fine Gael)
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The HSE committed in the 2025 National Service Plan to undertake an independent assessment of the Physician Assistant role. The HSE Chief People Officer and HSE Chief Clinical Officer, on behalf of the HSE, have now commissioned a comprehensive independent assessment of the Physician Assistant role with the aim of making recommendations regarding the governance of the role, scope of practice, and appropriate and safe deployment in Ireland. The assessment is expected to be completed by the end of 2025. Given the commitment to carry out an assessment of the role to ensure appropriate deployment, the HSE has paused the recruitment of Physician Assistants.

I expect that patient safety in service delivery will continue to be prioritised by the HSE in relation to any workforce roles, including Physician Assistant. My officials and I continue to engage with colleagues in the HSE on the Physician Assistant role in Ireland.