Catherine Martin (Dublin Rathdown, Green Party) | Oireachtas source

I welcome and thank both Ministers for coming in today. On the 114 assistant psychologists and 20 psychologists who have recently been appointed, will the Minister outline how was that achieved and the recruitment process from advertisement to appointment? It seems it was a success. Last month, Professor Frank Murray, director of the national doctors training and planning division of the HSE, presented to the committee a table of 16 mental health consultant posts advertised in 2016 for which no applications were received. Unfortunately, ten of the posts were for paediatric consultants. To see that in black and white was frightening for all of us. What has been learned from this that enabled the Department to hire 114 assistant psychologists and 20 psychologists in a year? How was that done? How can that success story be transferred to other Departments in similar need?

What consultation has taken place between the Department of Health and the Department of Education and Skills? Deputy O'Loughlin is the Chair of the Joint Committee on Education and Skills, of which I am a member, as was the Minister of State, Deputy Daly, when we drew up our report on positive mental health in schools. Has the Minister seen the report's key recommendations? I presume the Minister of State, Deputy Daly, has seen them. I read with interest during the week about a new initiative on extra suicide prevention training planned for teachers under which two relevant members of school staff will be trained in suicide prevention. In addition, the National Educational Psychological Service, NEPS, will provide training for crisis scenarios. Representatives of NEPS appeared before the committee a few weeks ago, and the organisation is on its knees. We have fewer than 200 NEPS psychologists to serve all of our primary and post-primary schools. I do not know where the time will be found to train teachers. It is my understanding that if a NEPS psychologist goes out on maternity leave, no cover is provided. That needs to be addressed. It is a shame the approach being pursued by the Department of Education and Skills - I wonder again about the consultation - does not reflect the report's key recommendations. One wonders why that report and research were done. There are some fantastic recommendations, including on the provision of psychotherapy training and other professional development for the counsellors who are already in our schools. It is worth reading and a shame it was not followed through.

Representatives of Pavee Point appeared before the committee in February. It is regrettable the organisation was not invited to participate in the national task force on mental health, even though it requested to be included. I do not understand why it was not included, especially in light of its request. I do not know if it even received a reply. It was an appalling lack of consultation. I appeal to the Minister to ensure engagement with the Traveller community is not only with focus groups but is real, meaningful consultation. It was left out of the discussion, which is wrong. Why was it left out?