Kate O'Connell (Dublin Bay South, Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

I will now move on to the deficit of child psychiatrists. Mr. Connaghan said that this came to the fore in 2017 but I have been aware of issues in Wexford and in the south of Ireland for many years. I argue that 2017 is not the right year. I have been told, anecdotally, that it is not just about the consultants, it is about the team that is under the consultants. In situations where the HSE tries to attract people into the State by teleconference, is it not a big issue for consultants who their senior registrar is, who their senior house officer is, whether the team comprises agency staff and whether they are there for a long time? I have heard that many consultants leave because they do not have control over the team. How is this being addressed when trying to recruit from abroad or are those consultants not bothered about that issue?