Cathal Crowe (Clare, Fianna Fail) | Oireachtas source

I thank the Minister. I would appreciate it if he could give the matter further consideration. The model to examine would be in CHO 3 where this has been fully rolled out on a multi-annual basis. This is probably me viewing it through the lens of a teacher, because teachers are either full-time or part-time and there is no in-between. I am perplexed that the physiotherapist in CHO 3 is 0.7 of a role. I know it is HR jargon, but I never understand these things. If a position is given to a CHO, region or healthcare system it should be a full-time equivalent position. This is the case that MS Ireland presented but it goes beyond MS Ireland. There is some HR guru who will justify this but I can never understand why a position would be 0.7 when it is that close to being a full-time equivalent position. I ask the Minister to lead on this. It is giving the sweets but taking them back before the bag is empty. It is a real bummer for the people trying to deliver public health care.

Over the Easter period, I became aware that child psychiatrists are not very common. People speak about children's mental health. The joint committee has certainly looked at his matter, as has the Joint Committee on Education, Further and Higher Education, Research, Innovation and Science, of which I am also a member. Children usually go through CAMHS, and that has its own complications. Occasionally, there is a need for a referral to a psychiatrist specialising in children. There are very few of them in the country. The only one we have access to in CHO 3 comes on a locum basis. We are lucky if he is in the county one day month. Children are not being seen. Is any strategy built into Sláintecare or the Department's budget to recruit, hire and have whole-time equivalent child psychiatrists? When contacted, many psychiatrists will say that they do not specialise in it and cannot take people younger than adolescent. There is definitely a deficiency.