David Cullinane (Waterford, Sinn Fein) | Oireachtas source

Thank you. There are difficulties in recruitment. I had a meeting recently, as did other Oireachtas Members, with the HSE's disability team in Waterford which covers both Waterford and Wexford. The team told me there are not enough training places for child psychologists. The training places are provided by Trinity College, UCD and UCC in the main. There are 50 placements which are all full every year, and that is where one of the problems lies.

What action does the HSE take and what interaction is there between it and education or training providers to make sure that when these problems arise and it finds that it cannot recruit or that there are not enough places, there are more placements to make sure the medium to long-term solution is in place? Will Mr. O'Brien address that issue first?