Anne Rabbitte (Galway East, Fianna Fail) | Oireachtas source

The Deputy is correct that we are in a recruitment process for the appeals office. It is an independent office but we are in a recruitment process. We will keep the committee updated on it, if that is okay.

The Deputy also asked whether I have enough money for staff and recruitment. One never has enough money but at the moment I have a lot of money for the recruitment of staff. What I need are the measures to ensure that I am actually able to attract staff. Part of the PDS roadmap is putting in the various steps along the way. Looking at supporting quite a number of clinical psychology placements per annum from 2023 will be one of the pieces I am looking to put in. I also hope that the HSE will consider occupational therapists, physiotherapists, and speech and language therapists posts for the third and fourth year placement students. Their fees could be paid for and maybe they might work for us for 18 months thereafter to build up supply. I believe this will address a lot of the shortfalls. We also have international recruitment going on. We have the critical skills list piece of it, which is part of a suite of measures so we can come at it from all angles. We are also working on it with the areas of further and higher education.

I will also acknowledge the groups mentioned by the Deputy. I was talking to the Minister about Involve Autism and the phenomenal work that they do. The Deputy has a special school in his area that has not had the uplift in relation to the therapists that are part of the 136 that should be going in. We have made a commitment and the HSE will honour on that commitment. It is unfortunate that it has taken so long to get there, but it is our plan. It is our ambition. We have funding secured to put those therapists in. This includes an occupational therapist, a physiotherapist, and a speech-language therapist. This will be under constant review to meet the needs of the families.