Tom Neville (Limerick County, Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

I thank the witnesses for attending. I have some brief questions on recruitment. I am a member of a mental health committee and recruitment issues have arisen in that area because much of the recruitment takes place on a national platform as opposed to locally. Second, people are on panels, which are quite restrictive. They need to be more flexible. Is there a correlation between both?

Ms McGuirk referred to the pressure graduates feel coming into the workforce. I am a former teacher and when I graduated and went into the school on the first day, I went into the classroom alone and started there. It is quite daunting, but there is a time when one gets up to speed. However, I had senior staff I could call on, not directly but indirectly, as part of the collegiality that one would work on for advice. A principal teacher or vice principal teacher would offer advice. I taught woodwork and there were other woodwork teachers there I could speak to about a class. Is there something similar to that for social workers?

I understand there is a points system to get onto the course. In bygone times there would have been an interview process for some courses in college. Is there any value in that being reintroduced? It might alleviate the dropout rate. This is no disrespect to people but when they are aged 16, 17 or 18 years and are asked what they are going to do for the rest of their lives, it is a difficult question to answer. At that stage people should get a flavour of these vocational types of professions such as nursing, teaching and social work and an understanding of what they are going into as opposed to just getting the points, going into the profession, getting the job and then realising after two years that it is not for them. A career guidance path could be used. Have there been talks about that? It is a demanding and rewarding profession and, as with any profession, certain people are fit for it. That, coupled with supports, could alleviate the pressure and dropout rates. What supports are in place for people who are starting in the profession to reach the five-year point where they feel confident and able to deal with their role?