Darren O'Rourke (Meath East, Sinn Fein)
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346. To ask the Minister for Health further to Parliamentary Question No. 1168 on 13 May 2025, to provide an update on the progress of a comprehensive assessment of the physician associate role internationally which will make recommendations for standardisation, scope of practice and appropriate deployment in Ireland; and her views on if this review will be completed by quarter 4 of 2025 or quarter 1 of 2026; and if she will lift the recruitment ban on physician assistants. [64137/25]

Darren O'Rourke (Meath East, Sinn Fein)
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348. To ask the Minister for Health further to Parliamentary Question No. 1168 of 13 May 2025, if the review undertaken deems that the role of physician associate is not viable in the State; the measures which will be taken to support students who undertook this master's degree provided by the HSE and RCSI; and the position students will qualify for, having completed this degree, taking into consideration, the considerable time spent on work placement in hospitals in Ireland. [64139/25]

Jennifer Carroll MacNeill (Dún Laoghaire, Fine Gael)
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I propose to take Questions Nos. 346 and 348 together.

The HSE committed in the 2025 National Service Plan to undertake an independent assessment of the Physician Assistant role. The HSE commissioned an 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 and the HSE will consider its recommendations.

Given the commitment to carry out an assessment of the Physician Assistant role, the HSE paused the recruitment of Physician Assistants. Recruitment is a service matter for the HSE.

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.

Darren O'Rourke (Meath East, Sinn Fein)
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347. To ask the Minister for Health the number of physician associates currently employed across the State, by county, in tabular form. [64138/25]

Jennifer Carroll MacNeill (Dún Laoghaire, Fine Gael)
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As this is a service matter I have asked the HSE to respond to the deputy as soon as possible.