Dáil Éireann Debate, Thursday - 7 July 2022
29. Deputy Holly Cairns asked the Minister for Further and Higher Education, Research, Innovation and Science his engagement with the Minister for Health to increase the number of graduates from clinical therapies, including but not limited to occupational therapy, physiotherapy, speech and language therapy, and psychology in order to address shortages in disability services. [36282/22]
View answerEnsuring the health and well-being of the population, including those availing of disability services, is a priority for Government. My Department, in collaboration with the Department of Health, the HSE, professional training bodies and regulators, will continue to explore options to increase the current provision of professionals providing clinical care therapies, in the context of demand projections and the appropriate skills required by the workforce into the future.
Correspondence issued from the Secretary General of my Department to the Department of Health and the Department for Children, Equality, Disability, Integration, and Youth, earlier this year, to further develop structured engagement regarding workforce planning for health and social care professions, including increasing capacity of third level education.
The European Commission is providing economic and technical support to the Department of Health to develop a Health and Social Care Workforce Planning Strategy, Action Plan and Planning Projection Model. Officials in my Department have met with the Department of Health and the Consultants of this Project on a number of occasions to provide input into the process and share information.
Officials in my Department are also actively participating on the National Disability Inclusion Strategy Steering Group. Work of the Steering Group includes, the new National Access Plan: Strategic Action Plan for Equity, Participation and Success in Higher Education, 2022 – 2026, which is due for publication shortly. It is anticipated that the new plan will be published in Q3 2022. One of the key target groups will be people with disabilities.
