Dáil Éireann Debate, Tuesday - 22 November 2022
749. Deputy Róisín Shortall asked the Minister for Health if he has engaged with the Department of Further and Higher Education, Research, Innovation and Science regarding increased capacity in University College Cork and Trinity College dental schools to produce more graduates across dentistry, dental nursing and dental hygiene; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [58079/22]
Amharc ar fhreagraI am committed to reform of the provision of oral healthcare services in Ireland, as set out in the National Oral Health Policy, Smile Agus Sláinte. The Policy recognises the role of undergraduate and postgraduate education in supporting this service reform and sets out that a range of actions will be completed in this area.
Health and Social Care workforce planning and ensuring an appropriate pipeline of suitably qualified healthcare professionals in Ireland is a top priority for the Government. The Programme for Government commits the Department of Health to working with the education sectors, regulators, and professional bodies to improve the availability of health professionals and reform their training to support integrated care across the entire health service.
Department of Health officials engage on an ongoing basis with colleagues in the Department of Further and Higher Education, Research, Innovation and Science and other relevant stakeholders to ensure that we train enough graduates with the skills necessary to support the delivery of health and social care services and to develop a strategic approach to workforce planning for the health sector.
There are ongoing discussions between both Departments in relation to increasing domestic supply of health and Social Care graduates in the short term to medium term through the immediate provision of additional places, and the longer-term planning being undertaken around future skills needs in context of future demand for health and social care services, including for oral healthcare services.
