Tom Neville (Limerick County, Fine Gael)
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I thank the Chairman for allowing me to contribute. I will ask one or two questions in respect of the recruitment of mental health services staff. I may have spoken to our guests at a meeting of the Joint Committee on Children and Youth Affairs. Has there been any change in the recruitment process relating to mental health services in the past 12 to 18 months in the context of timelines, etc.? Has there been any change regarding the flexibility of panels?

On Tusla, when he appeared before the Joint Committee on Children and Youth Affairs, Bernard Gloster referred to trying to appoint people to permanent posts. Is any of that starting to happen in the mental health services area, particularly in circumstances where agency staff are employed? Have there been any contract buy-outs or any attempts to convert temporary posts to permanent ones? Where a person in the private sector is a contractor for six months or more, he or she is brought in as a permanent employee. In the opinion of the witnesses, have there been any improvements in that regard?