Neale Richmond
Dublin Rathdown · Fine Gael · Ireland
“I am grateful to Deputy Ó Murchú for raising this once again. I welcome the comments by his party leader this week when she declared that this is a great State and a great place to live in. It makes a welcome change from most other days of the week.”
“Another thing that must be looked at when discussing a united Ireland is that a lot of work has to be done to show example from political representatives on the base level of sectarianism that at least two other colleagues on these benches and I put up with every day.”
“They could not decide among themselves in the "Yes" campaign whether they would have a new form of sterling or a currency pegged to sterling or adopt the euro. That is not an issue for us. We join the European Union and we join the euro. It is simple as.”
“I will make a few concluding remarks to follow on from some of the points made by the Taoiseach in his opening iteration because in his 20 minutes he did not cover them all.”
“Over the coming months, we will act impartially serving as an honest broker among our fellow member states to progress many files in areas that were raised here today. Our work will respond to the overall interests and needs of the union, its member states and citizens across Europe.”
“More pertinently to the Deputy's questions, very real charges have been placed in The Irish Times and by other investigative journalists stating that the amounts of alumina being produced from Aughinish are going indirectly to the Russian war machine. If that is the case, it is completely unacceptable.”
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“The short answer is "Yes" but I will give a little more detail to the context of how we do that. In recent years, Ireland's humanitarian support has included funding to the UN's Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs, OCHA, country-based pooled fund, the UN population fund and the International Rescue Committee to target people most in need, particularly women and girls for aforementioned reasons. OCHA's Sudan pool is our largest partner in humanitarian response. This fund is a rapid and flexible funding mechanism, which supports national and international aid organisations and UN agencies to work in co-ordination with local partners to respond to chronic and emerging needs. The fund has received a major injection of funding from the US Government of €200 million.”
“Ireland will ensure going forward, as we take over the Presidency on 1 July, that this remains a key issue for Europe and that Europe stands by the political pressure to bring peace to the area, to ensure the blockage embargo of weapons going into the region is upheld - something that is undermined greatly, including by EU member states, I regret to say - but also, crucially, to ensure the finance from the European Union, as well as bilaterally from member states, is maintained.”
“Over the past three years, Ireland has been consistent at a Foreign Affairs Council level, be it the full Council, the development formation in which I sit, or the defence formation, in making sure Sudan is on the agenda and that does not slip from the focus of European partners. What is happening in Sudan will end up on our doorstep in due course, when we see mass movement of people, the real impact on the wider political situation and the fragility in the area, but also when we see the spread of energy and food insecurity and how that feeds in.”
“That is why, in addition to addressing the humanitarian crisis and ensuring the protection of civilians and humanitarian workers, it is vital to explore all avenues towards an urgent, credible and inclusive Sudanese-led political situation.”
“Having sat and met a number of survivors from the region on a visit not so long ago to the Horn of Africa, it is the most devastating conversation when you have to listen to someone who bore witness to seeing their 13-year-old niece raped by 15 men at one time in the face of their family being used as a tool of war. This is what sexual and gender-based violence is. We have a proud record in this country, led by the Minister, Deputy McEntee, in her time in the Department of justice, of clamping down on domestic violence, but we are seeing it harrowingly used as a tool of war in the most depraved manner in the most vulnerable situations.”
“Ireland will significantly increase our humanitarian assistance this year, from over €14.3 million provided in 2025 to somewhere in the region of €21 million this year. Our assistance is channelled through trusted partners, including the UN, international organisations, Irish aid organisations and, crucially, their local partners. Findings from a visit by Department officials to the Chadian-Sudanese border in January will help shape our response in addressing the complex humanitarian needs of those affected. This includes a continued focus on providing assistance to vulnerable people who are hardest to reach, including women and girls, who are seriously affected by sexual and gender-based violence. "Sexual and gender-based violence" is a term we use in these discussions but we rarely go into the detail.”
“I am very grateful to the Deputy for raising this. I acknowledge the consistent effort by both Deputies Ó Laoghaire and Smith to raise this in a constructive manner. The conflict in Sudan, which has continued for over three years, is causing devastating levels of hunger and displacement. This year, two out of every three people in Sudan are in need of humanitarian assistance. We are seriously concerned by the escalation of violence in the Kordofan and Blue Nile states, and the expected intensification of conflict in North Darfur. I attended the third international Sudan Conference in Berlin on 15 April. The EU and its member states, including Ireland, pledged over €812 million in humanitarian assistance to support people in Sudan and to respond to the regional refugee crisis.”
“Certainly, from an Irish Government point of view, the most important thing is not making binary choices and not making declarations; it is upholding the very real process, particularly in a wider context. We are at a time when international law and the rule of law are under threat. We have a UN process, we support the UN process and we will continue to support that and make sure that process leads to an outcome that continues and maintains what is, to some extent, a relatively fragile peace.”
“Yes, the progress towards a referendum or any process of self-determination has been painfully slow but it is not straightforward simply to engage with the people because there are very clearly conflicting opinions here and, as a country outside that seeks to be supportive crucially of what this really is, it is a peace process. What went before 1991 was a brutal conflict that cost many lives, and what has come after may be frustrating and may not be the true fulfilment of what certain people want, but I would argue it is better than what went before. The process is sadly at risk based on isolated and sporadic incidences of violence in the region.”
“I would be more than happy to work directly with the Deputy to see where we can push back against any backsliding in that regard.”
“I would like to pick the Deputy up on that last point because I think in all our discussions we always try to find areas of agreement, even when there are certain areas of disagreement on technical matters. This is one area that is really concerning for us. We have a very clear process in place. I appreciate the Deputy's thoughts that it is going far too slow and that in some persons' opinions it is not fully engaged with the Sahrawi people in the broadest sense, be they resident or non-resident, or, as he rightly says, in refugee camps. However, the position is consistent with international law and has been respectfully pushed at a UN level. Ireland absolutely stands by that position and will absolutely make sure that support for the UN resolution and, crucially, the implementation of international law will be updated.”
“The Personal Envoy, Staffan De Mistura, has emphasised that this is a time for dialogue and negotiations, not a time for military escalation. Any relevant developments will continue to be kept under close review, including in the context of EU and UN discussions. The United Nations recognises Western Sahara as a non-self-governing territory under international law, specifically Chapter XI of the United Nations Charter.”
“Any outcome should be consistent with the principles and purposes of the Charter of the United Nations, including the fundamental principle in international law of the right of peoples to self-determination. It is in this spirit that Ireland will continue to support UN-led efforts to achieve a solution to this long-standing dispute. Officials at the headquarters of the Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade and in the mission network continue to be in contact with relevant parties to the dispute in this regard. Ireland shares the concerns expressed by the Personal Envoy of the Secretary General for Western Sahara, Staffan De Mistura, and MINURSO, the UN Peacekeeping Mission in Western Sahara, concerning the recent attacks by the Frente Polisario near Smara.”
“On 31 October 2025, the United Nations Security Council adopted Resolution 2797, extending the mandate of the UN Mission for the Referendum in Western Sahara, MINURSO, for one year until 31 October 2026. Ireland is not currently a member of the United Nations Security Council but has taken note of Resolution 2797. Ireland's position on Western Sahara has been and continues to be guided by the aim of achieving a just and lasting political solution that will provide for the self-determination of the people of Western Sahara. Ireland's engagement on this issue will also continue to take account of the role of, and the insights provided by, the Personal Envoy of the UN Secretary-General for Western Sahara, Staffan de Mistura.”
“I move: That, notwithstanding anything in the Order of the Dáil of 5th February, 2025, or in the Order of the Dáil of 28th April, 2026, setting out the rota in which Questions to members of the Government are to be asked, Questions for oral answer following those next set down to the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage shall be set down to Ministers in the following temporary sequence, without any change to the allocation of Priority Questions: Minister for Foreign Affairs and Trade Minister for Rural and Community Development and the Gaeltacht whereupon the sequence established by the Order of 5th February, 2025, shall continue with Questions to the Tanaiste and Minister for Finance.”
“British commentators will tell you that when politicians spent 40 years blaming Brussels for everything that was inconvenient in their lives and then spent six weeks trying to convince people to remain within the EU, the debate was lost. The UK's people and economy have been suffering desperately ever since. I am very grateful to the Oireachtas for putting together its programme of Europe Day events. I am very grateful to the Blue Star programme that is running in schools around our country. If we are going to debate Europe, just as we debate other tricky issues in this Chamber, let us do it from a basis of fact and with language and rhetoric that are reflective of good tolerant debate. Go raibh maith agat, a Cheann Comhairle, and happy Europe Day.”
“It is not the heady 93% of the peak Brexit years, and that is what we are all talking about, but it is still well ahead of the years when this report started when we were talking about the troika coming to Ireland and the fiscal stability treaty, etc. That 82% level matters. When you dig into the figures, however, you can see that people are worried about the direction in which the European Union is going. We have to reflect on how we talk about Europe in this Chamber. We have a debate every year. I share some of Deputy Murphy's cynicism, perhaps from a different angle, about this set-piece debate. How many times have we got up to blame Brussels for something? How many times have we used the European project as a handy scapegoat?”
“The Ceann Comhairle played an important role during the Brexit debates in her professional career. We all remember the consistent misinformation that the EU was going to buckle at any moment and that Europe was going to throw Ireland under the bus. Ultimately, that never happened. There was no such proposal from the German or French Governments because we saw that level of tolerance. Yesterday, European Movement Ireland, an organisation that I used work with for quite some time professionally as well as still being a member of, produced its annual report, which has been referenced by most speakers in the Chamber. It showed that 82% of Irish people want Ireland to remain within the European Union - the exact same as it was last year.”
“I would like to comment on some of the tone and some of the rhetoric used consistently in the debate. Some of it is misplaced. I agreed fundamentally with Deputy Ó Murchú when he spoke eloquently about his belief, unlike what we heard from other members of his party in their contributions, that the EU peace project has worked. The Deputy suggested that during Brexit, France and Germany somehow wanted to change the negotiations because of their export strategy. Now this matters. I have a lot of time for Deputy Ó Murchú, and he knows that, but when he says that he is placing a piece of misinformation on the record of the Dáil. We all remember a campaign by various right-wing economic think tanks in the United Kingdom and newspapers in that country, such as the Daily Express , the Daily Mail and The Daily Telegraph .”
“We have to make sure that food security, not only within Europe but within our partner countries, is a key part. Deputy Heneghan referred at length to energy security. He proposed a number of areas where progress could be made more quickly. People have had debates over the last number of days, in this Chamber and in the media, in relation to the possibility of nuclear energy. They are all valid arguments and I have no issue with them, but we have to look at how Europe secures its energy better. Europe secured its food coming out of the 1960s, coming out of the era of rationing and great starvation. We now need to secure our energy because our overdependence on outside actors is clearly telling, and is clearly felt in every homestead across the country as well as in every business.”
“When certain Members who sit in certain corners of the Chamber - certainly, not those present in the Chamber - talk about a return to the good old days in a way that mirrors the sort of discussion we have seen far too often in Britain and in parts of the United States, I question what part of the good old days they are looking for. Are they looking for a return to an average lifespan of 62 or the reintroduction of the marriage bar? Are they speaking about a time when there was an absolute inability for people to achieve greater educational obtainment? If so, they want a poorer, backwards Ireland. Deputy Aird makes the key point that food security is one of the key components of the European project. The Common Agricultural Policy was set up in the 1960s to make sure that Europe could always be able to feed itself.”
“First, I will respond to Deputy Timmins's point about the Draghi report. I sat around the Employment, Social Policy, Health and Consumer Affairs Council when we discussed this at length. When we look at the three key policy priorities for the Presidency - values, security and competitiveness - the full implementation of the Draghi report, and the response and respect for an EU of equal 27 member states, is so key. Deputy Aird said at length that, taken as a whole, the European Union has been beneficial for Ireland. Any independent analysis can say that the Ireland of today is fundamentally better in every scoring matrix than the Ireland of 1972.”
“However, I suggest that when talking about a genocide happening in the Middle East - I agree with the Deputy on that matter - it is unfair not to refer at all to the absolute horrors that are happening in Ukraine, which were not cited in the Deputy's interventions or those of his party colleague, Deputy Murphy. When the Deputy spoke about armaments and security, it is unfortunate that he did not reference the biggest conflict happening on European soil since the Second World War. The Deputy has addressed that in other debates, and I agree with him that no one wins from this war, but the Deputy cannot approach it in such an à la carte measure when we are trying to combine a debate. A couple of other points that were made are of real relevance to our Presidency and deserve response.”
“At some stage, hiding behind the veneer of somehow being a questioning authority becomes quite revealing because they are speaking on behalf of a party that has opposed every European referendum and has consistently opposed European efforts. It deliberately used the term "No to an EU army" during European election debates even though there was no proposal for an EU army. People talk about it, but there is no official proposal. There is no Irish support for it, whether people want to believe that or not. The facts matter. I am delighted my friend Deputy Boyd Barrett - I do mean that - returned to the Chamber. We have debated this for as long as we have known each other and it is good, healthy debate. The Deputy's vision of Europe differs from mine, and that is good.”
“They are absolutely free to live, work and study in those countries. They can make sure they can play a full part under the four freedoms of the European movement. Last year, we welcomed over 26,000 EU citizens to live, work and study in this country. They continue to contribute warmly. I want to pick up a few points that were made during this afternoon's debate. I was quite taken by Deputies Bennett and Cronin, who spoke in vicious tones about the European project. They laid out their criticism of the project in many areas and at the same time, in parallel, said it is okay to be questioning or critical of the European project. Deputy Aird said the same, and he is dead right.”
“When you remove development support from communities and when you turn your back on allowing humanitarian actors to get support into the most dire situations around the world, you simply provide fodder for the sorts of movements that lead to political extremism; force people into forced migration, which in turn leads to irregular mass migration across the continent of Africa and other parts of the world; lead to extreme hardship for those most at risk from the impact of the climate emergency; lead to food insecurity; and lead to energy security. All of this has a massive consequence for the people of Europe. In that further regard, and in the context of the second part of my own brief, I would like to look at the impact of the work of the European Union on the Irish diaspora. Close to 150,000 Irish people live in other EU member states.”
“As a result, Europe is now by far the largest player, both as the European Union but also on a member state basis. Ireland was one of two EU member states to increase its development budget last year. I hope and look forward to the ability to do that again next year. In the face of cuts by a number of EU member states which have been traditionally viewed as strong donors, we need to see that level of protection from the European Union in budgetary purpose for development and humanitarian activity. When you remove funding from development programmes and remove support from humanitarianism, you merely fuel the issues that fall at our doorsteps and into our constituency clinics on a daily basis. This matters. It matters to everyone in our country. It is not some object at a remove.”
“Certainly, one issue that will dominate the Presidency, even though the conclusion will not be reached until afterwards, is the negotiation of the European budget for the next seven years, also known as the multi-annual financial framework. Bearing in mind that I am Minister of State with responsibility for international development, I emphasise that a key part of that is the Global Europe debate, which is of massive concern, most importantly due to the real, clear backsliding by so many countries across the world when it comes to support for humanitarian activities, for the international development infrastructure and for multilateralism. The United States, through the United States Agency for International Development, USAID, was once responsible for over 25% of global development, that was abolished overnight.”
“I am grateful to the Deputies who contributed to this important annual debate. We take time in the busy Dáil schedule every year ahead of Europe Day, on 9 May, to reflect on contemporary historical and future issues facing the European Union and the wider European project. I will address three points in the Chamber today. I will go into a little bit of detail about our upcoming Presidency of the rotating Council of the European Union, respond to some of the points made by some of the Deputies, and reflect on where the European Union is going and where the debate that we have can impact that. In relation to the upcoming Presidency, the exact detail of our policy priority areas will be laid out in the coming weeks by the Taoiseach and the Minister, Deputy McEntee, as is appropriate.”
“We continue to be happy to engage in this House, in the joint committees on foreign affairs, security and European affairs, and on the floor of the Dáil.”
“Development, which is the key area of my work, is an investment. Investment in our overseas development assistance is an investment at source in the issues that impact all of the people who live in our constituencies. Energy insecurity, food insecurity, political fundamentalism, global terrorism and irregular mass migration all stem from global instability. If anyone comes in here and says we should cut our aid budget, or anyone in any member state says it, then they had better be prepared to quadruple their defence and security budget. I am delighted that the Seanad has taken time to debate this wide range of issues and I thank Senators who consistently raise it on the Order of Business and through their Commencement matters.”
“It is having a real impact and not just on the millions of people suffering displacement, acute hunger and who are victims of the most vicious types of war crimes where rape is still used as a weapon of war. We equally see push-back on a global stage with people seeking to undermine the multilateral order, the UN system, as well as push-back on the rights agenda. We cannot allow the most innocent victims of the world become the victims of someone else's culture war. That is why those of us lucky enough to be elected to national office have a responsibility and platform to not just talk about the issues we want to talk about but to talk about all the issues and the global order as a whole. If we believe in international law, humanitarian work and fundamental rights we believe in the money that goes to support it.”
“I am not happy to say it because we should be doing more to support Ukraine as it is in our selfish interests, and we need to be able to push back. The issues we face in Ireland are directly linked to Russia's war in Ukraine. If we remove supports from Ukraine, the Ukrainian people and from the European project, the impacts we are feeling will merely get far worse for far too many people. In the time remaining to me, there is a plethora of issues I could and should refer to. I will leave it to my colleague, the Minister of State, Deputy Feighan, to touch on some of them. However, in a brief whistle-stop tour around the globe there are a couple of areas that deserve the attention of this House, and I believe they have been brought up a number of times by various Senators. They include the ongoing famine in Sudan.”
“One thing we must make clear is that this is exactly what Russia and its disinformation and misinformation puppets around the world want. When Bloomberg cites Chay Bowes as one of the leading exponents of Russian propaganda and disinformation in the world, that comes right back to here in Ireland. We need to be able call out and to shout out when we start seeing Ireland's support for Ukraine being pulled into our own domestic situation. This is not a natural or organic occurrence; it is from the same far-right agitators, many of whom are not based here - Steve Bannon, Tommy Robinson and all the regular clickbait merchants who want to completely destabilise what has been a united effort. Ireland has not played its part.”
“We will continue to work closely with Ukraine to secure the best outcome for the people of Ukraine and, critically, the people of Europe and Ireland. This is not just vital for Ukraine - it is vital for all EU member states. I push back strongly against the social media warriors who think it can all be solved with one comment, social media post or snappy headline to the effect that we paid our fair share. The people of Ukraine are fighting on our behalf. No one should underestimate that the material impact of Russia's vicious war on Ukraine is felt by every household and business across this country. Increasing support for Ukraine by €40 million in recent weeks resulted in an unprecedented amount of ire on social media and got tangled up in tricky domestic affairs.”
“We must maintain this pressure until he does. We must also work to ensure Russia is held accountable for its actions and pays for the destruction it has caused. Importantly, today, in the other Chamber of this House, we are debating Ireland's support in establishing an international claims commission. This is an important step towards redressing internationally wrongful acts committed by Russia in or against Ukraine and one I hope we endorse. We will continue to work to advance Ukraine's path to EU accession. Alongside our EU partners, Ireland continues to provide extensive political, humanitarian, military, and economic bilateral support to Ukraine. This has included over €500 million in support of Ukraine, including over €250 million in humanitarian assistance and stabilisation supports to date.”
“This is exactly what Ireland and our partners in the European Union are doing. Ireland welcomes that efforts to advance the €90 billion Ukraine support loan can now continue. We welcome in particular the change of regime in Hungary that allowed it. It is notable that not one member of Sinn Féin, the one political party that opposed this measure, is in this Chamber. That says a lot. This gives Ukraine the finance it needs over the coming two years. It does so at large scale, in good time and in a predictable manner. We are also increasing pressure on Russia. I welcome the recent agreement on the EU's 20th package of sanctions on Russia. These sanctions are having an impact. They are making it harder for Russia to fund its war and access battlefield goods. These sanctions are designed to force Putin to move to the negotiating table.”
“In April alone, Russia launched at least 6,804 long-range drones and missiles into Ukraine, marking the most intense month of long-range aerial attacks to date. These attacks continue to inflict terror on ordinary Ukrainians, killing men, women and children, injuring many more and depriving millions of electricity, heating, and water. Alongside our fellow EU member states, we must continue to stand with Ukraine. Standing with Ukraine means more than words. It means ensuring Ukraine has what it needs to exercise its right to self-defence under Article 51 of the UN Charter. It means ensuring it has the means to sustain its budget and public services, and can repair and protect its critical infrastructure. It also means increasing the pressure on Russia to end its brutal aggression.”
“The rate of settlement expansion in the West Bank, combined with spiralling settler violence, is also deeply concerning and part of an established pattern to create a new status quo in the occupied Palestinian territory. Ireland will continue to press the EU to take concrete action in response to such egregious Israeli breaches of human rights and democratic principles. While the crisis in the Middle East and the Gulf draws global attention, we cannot lose focus on Ukraine. As Russia's unprovoked and unjustified war of aggression against Ukraine continues unabated, Ireland and the EU remain unequivocal in our solidarity and support for Ukraine. Failing on the battlefield, Russia chooses to deliberately target Ukrainian civilians and critical infrastructure.”
“We are also very conscious of our troops in UNIFIL, both their own safety and their ability to help protect the Lebanese people. We are also very concerned for the families and loved ones of our troops, many of whom waved off the people they care about the most in the last week or two in the service of our State. Ireland has condemned Hezbollah's attacks on Israel and Israel's disproportionate response. Both must stop. Notwithstanding dramatic developments in the wider region, Palestine must not be overlooked. The humanitarian situation in Gaza remains dire, with Israeli restrictions on aid access continuing to frustrate the delivery of essential supplies and services to people across the Gaza Strip.”
“At this point, finding an agreement to allow the free passage of shipping through the Strait of Hormuz will be key to enabling further negotiations and to unlock flows of energy and other critical goods that would normally flow through the strait. Ireland shares the real and widespread concerns about Iran's nuclear programme and other destabilising policies. Iran must never be allowed to develop a nuclear weapon, and must end its support for Russia's war of aggression in Ukraine and to militant groups around the region. In Lebanon, I am deeply concerned by the continued targeting of civilians, including healthcare workers, rescue workers and journalists. The displacement of communities and the establishment of a depopulated buffer zone in Lebanon by Israel is not and never will be acceptable.”
“We have welcomed the ceasefires between the US and Iran, and between Israel and Lebanon, even if they are perhaps not the most consistent of ceasefires. We urge all parties, where best possible, to preserve these ceasefires. Ireland has condemned the recent missile and drone attacks by Iran on the United Arab Emirates. We call for serious diplomatic efforts to continue and intensify with the aim of achieving lasting peace and wider regional security. Freedom of navigation must be resumed, and international law must be upheld. The ongoing disruption of the Strait of Hormuz is causing economic damage and disruption around the world. We have seen the impacts here in Ireland, and we are also seeing the serious impacts on those least able to afford it around the world.”
“This was quickly followed by the US and Israeli attack on Iran, and retaliatory attacks by Iran, which rapidly engulfed much of the region in conflict and uncertainty. This escalated to include the reopening of conflict between Israel and Hezbollah and the involvement of Iran-allied militias in Iraq and Yemen. At least 15 countries suffered attacks, with widespread targeting of civilian infrastructure. Many lives have been lost, and many more in the region and around the world have been impacted directly and indirectly by this conflict. Throughout it, Ireland has clearly stated the importance of international law, and that all parties in any conflict must abide by international humanitarian law. Last year was the deadliest year on record for humanitarian workers around the world.”
“I greatly appreciate the opportunity to provide members with an update on recent international developments. This is perhaps the vaguest description of a debate in the Seanad, certainly in my ten years in the Oireachtas, but it is perhaps also the most pertinent because not a morning passes when we do not look at our mobile phones in dread and fear of what has happened or been posted on social media. As a result, we are all aware that we continue to face an unprecedented and unpredictable geopolitical context. The year 2026 has been a particularly challenging period for international relations, nowhere more so than in the Middle East. In January, we saw the violent suppression of protests in Iran with thousands of Iranians killed by their own government.”
“Now that the report will be shortly published, students and graduates will have greater clarity on the role of the physician assistant. I will bring everything the Senator outlined to the desk of the Minister, Deputy Carroll MacNeill. I sincerely thank the Senator for ensuring that this has been to the fore of the debate. I have no doubt the report and its recommendations, and implementation of same, will be something that will work better not just for our health service but, crucially, for physician assistants. The Senator has played a major part in securing that. I thank her for that.”
“These reforms are to ensure that our health workforce keeps pace with future population and demographic changes. The reforms are necessary to build future workforce capacity. As of mid-2025, 38 physician assistants were employed in HSE-funded services in Ireland. The role did not have standardised roles and responsibilities, however. With regard to training, the Royal College of Surgeons in Ireland, as the Senator outlined, offers a two-year physician associate master’s qualification. Graduates spend two years studying in good faith that there will be employment opportunities in the HSE at the end of their studies. The Minister for Health has requested that the HSE communicates directly with these students and graduates.”
“I am pleased to confirm to the Senator that the HSE will publish the report on Friday, 1 May 2026. The Minister for Health has received a report on the HSE’s implementation plan. The HSE is now moving to an implementation phase, focused on strengthening governance, role clarity and national consistency. During this implementation plan, it is expected that the HSE will communicate with stakeholders, including those working in and managing health services, educators and professional bodies. As the implementation progresses, officials in the Department of Health will continue to engage with the HSE and, crucially, physician assistants themselves.”
“He was also the national lead for transformation and change for the HSE. An extensive consultation process formed part of the review, including surveys, focus groups, written submissions, verbal input and face-to-face meetings. Stakeholders consulted as part of the review included patient and service user representatives, the Department of Health, the HSE national functions and health regions leadership, clinical leaders, professional system regulatory bodies, educational and professional institutions, hospital and service management and trade unions and representative bodies. The consultation process also involves engagement with practising physician assistants. As the Senator laid out, the review is now complete. The report made recommendations regarding scope of practice, clinical governance, supervision and employment.”
“As permanent members of staff, they can play an important role in the organisation and co-ordination of care across the medical team and with other teams involved in the provision of care to patients and in enabling continuity of care for patients, particularly at changeover times. The primary purpose of pausing HSE recruitment of physician assistants, commissioning an independent review and developing a HSE implementation plan is to support the safe and consistent deployment of the role across the Irish public health system. As committed in the 2025 national service plan, the HSE commissioned an independent review of the physician assistant role. The review is led by Mr. Leo Kearns who is the CEO of the Royal College of Physicians of Ireland and the Irish Medical Council.”
“I am very grateful to Senator Nelson Murray for raising this vitally important issue and its impact on health services across our country. I know only too well, particularly in Navan hospital, how important these roles are. The Minister for Health has asked me to convey that to her because it is recognised that future health services require new approaches. It is essential that patient safety is prioritised in the implementation of any healthcare role. Due to a lack of clarity as to the scope of practice and governance arrangements for the physician assistant role, the HSE paused recruitment and commissioned an independent review of the role. As the Senator has outlined, the purpose of the physician assistant role is primarily to assist the medical team in its provision of care to patients.”