Dáil Éireann Debate, Thursday - 11 December 2025
629. Deputy Richard Boyd Barrett asked the Minister for Further and Higher Education, Research, Innovation and Science whether he is aware there are no pathways for professional advancement for emergency service personnel that can be undertaken alongside full-time work in the field (details supplied); and his plans to address this. [71235/25]
View answerMy Department is committed to ensuring that every learner has a viable and accessible pathway to fulfilling their potential. For the past several years officials in my Department have engaged with the Department of Health and the HSE to expand training provision in areas of acute skills needs in the health and social care sectors. In 2025 an Interdepartmental working group was established to expand training places for disciplines in disability services. Many options are being explored, including the diversification of pathways of education, including tertiary degrees and apprenticeship models.
The pre-hospital emergency care sector continues to evolve in scale and complexity, and education pathways are adapting in line with developments in the sector. The Pre-Hospital Emergency Care Council (PHECC) is the competent regulatory authority responsible for setting standards of education and practice. PHECC approves course content, assesses the suitability of programmes delivered by education providers, and determines the theoretical and practical standards required for qualifications in pre-hospital emergency care. While PHECC sets these standards, it is important to note that it does not deliver training directly and it is open to any education provider to develop programmes and apply to PHECC for approval to deliver them.
PHECC has advised my Department that it has recently been in discussion with two education providers regarding the potential development of a paramedic apprenticeship model, and my officials have been engaging in this process. PHECC has indicated that any such programme, if approved, would not be structured as part-time provision. Decisions on course formats, including whether part-time or distance-learning models are appropriate, must be taken in line with regulatory requirements and with patient safety as the foremost consideration. By legislation HEIs are autonomous bodies and my Department does not instruct these institutions to deliver particular programmes or to operate in a particular format; however, providers are free to bring forward proposals for alternative modes of delivery, subject to regulatory approval by PHECC.
Data from the Higher Education Authority shows that enrolments in paramedic education have increased in recent years. First-year enrolments in Paramedic Studies at University College Cork have increased from 150 in 2022 to 240 in 2024, while enrolments at the University of Limerick have grown from 40 in 2022 to 55 in 2024.
While regulatory and patient-safety considerations must guide qualification pathways in pre-hospital emergency care, my Department will continue to work with the Department of Health, relevant regulatory bodies, the Higher Education Authority and education providers to support the ongoing development of flexible, high-quality training routes that meet learner needs and contribute to a strong, well-prepared emergency care workforce.
