3560. Deputy Donna McGettigan asked the Minister for Health to consider increasing financial supports to radiation therapy students, to include paid final-year clinical internships, travel and accommodation allowances during placements, and a uniform allowance, bringing radiation therapy students in line with other healthcare professions. [60273/26]

Practice education placements for radiation therapy students are essential to support clinical skills development and the application of theory to patient care and attainment of regulatory required standards of proficiency. Practice education offers opportunities for students to translate theoretical learning into practice, experience working in different settings, and to develop relevant practical skills.

Across health and social care disciplines, there are many students on placement in hospital and healthcare settings, approximately a third of which are final year students. The length of placements for HSCPs and the activities performed during these placements varies between disciplines and is determined by the education standards set by the professional regulators. These students are not employees, therefore not paid, and in many cases the nature of the placement can, in the main, be limited to participation in an observing and a learning capacity.

Practice Placements for radiation therapy students take place in two blocks in Year 1 and two blocks in year 2 and students must complete at least 1000 hours in clinical settings. Placements are provided in public and private healthcare settings. CORU registration requirements have been changed to bring Irish training requirements in line with international comparators (practice hours have been reduced to 1000 hours from 1200 hours). Radiation Therapy students while on placement are not employees of the HSE and remain registered with the higher education institution throughout their placements. The nature of the placement is in a learning capacity under supervision, meaning their status as students is protected.

Uniquely for student nurses and midwives there is, in the final year, a paid salary when they are specifically employed on an internship placement. Student nurses and midwives’ final year internship placement consists of a continual 36-week rostered clinical placement, including annual leave. The internship placement is a paid placement as the student nurses and midwives take a reduced caseload. During these placements, students are under supervision and are considered as 0.5 WTE of the workforce. In addition, Intern students can be allocated across all shift patterns including nights, weekends and 12-hour days.

A range of financial supports are available to students, including the Student Grant Scheme administered by SUSI and the Student Assistance Fund (SAF). The SAF provides additional support, on a confidential and discretionary basis, to students who might otherwise be at risk of not continuing their studies due to financial hardship. Further information is available from the Access Office in each institution and on www.studentfinance.ie.

The National Radiation Therapist Review, completed in 2024 provides a strategic review of the profession and makes recommendations to improve radiation therapist staff recruitment and retention.

The review has made 16 recommendations to improve the profession including the implementation of new roles such as advanced practice and aide roles, as well as reviewing the grading structure for the radiation therapist profession.

Funding was allocated in 2025 to support actions arising from the 2024 radiation therapist review and the HSE has established an oversight committee to progress the recommendations, some of which have already been implemented.