Pádraig Rice (Cork South-Central, Social Democrats)
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519. To ask the Minister for Health her views on a new restriction on interviews in the Royal College of Surgeons in Ireland (details supplied); if she will engage with the RSCI regarding this restriction and its implications; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [66958/25]

Jennifer Carroll MacNeill (Dún Laoghaire, Fine Gael)
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The RCSI is the body responsible for the selection and training of surgical trainees in the Irish health service. Their processes for selection are evidence-based and focused on appointing the most appropriate trainees to the training programmes, in the best interest of patient care.In June 2025 the ISPTC (Irish Surgical Postgraduate Training Committee) of RCSI made the decision to conduct face to face interviews. This decision was based on concerns about potential for misuse of AI by candidates during national selection processes. As part of the application process to Core Surgical Training (CST), applicants must complete surgical aptitudes. Previously these could be completed online and then submitted. Concerns were raised, however, that because the test was online and not invigilated, it was vulnerable to the possibility of not being a true assessment of the aptitude of the applicant and the potential for use of AI assistance to support or enhance the outcome of the test. It was decided therefore that the aptitude test would need to be completed in person, with invigilation in RCSI. The RCSI has informed the Department that it notified this change in early July 2025 on its website, and that all information regarding its applications process was advertised on its website in advance of the opening date of 14 October 2025. The RCSI states that the CST application process has not changed, and that all applications are still submitted via an online application portal. What has changed for applications in 2025 for the 2026 intake is that the surgical aptitude testing, and subsequent interview, have reverted to being completed in person.

The RCSI is engaged with stakeholders regarding these changes. The RCSI understands there may be significant challenges for potential applicants currently based in Australia and New Zealand, some of whom who have reached out to the RCSI regarding their inability to come home to complete the surgical aptitudes. Recognising the potential impact of the changes for applicants, the RCSI have undertaken the following steps:

• During the week commencing 17 November 2025, the RCSI provided a test centre in Melbourne, Australia, providing candidates in the southern hemisphere with an opportunity to undertake the aptitude test there in person.
• Notification of this option was communicated on the RCSI website and the RCSI was directly in contact with approximately 40–45 applicants regarding this process.