Mark Ward (Dublin Mid West, Sinn Fein)
Link to this: Individually | In context | Oireachtas source

Go raibh maith agat, Acting Chairman. It is great to see the two groups here today, both of which I have met with individually in recent times. My first question is for CARE. My grandmother used to have a saying when I was growing up: "If you work for nothing, you will never be idle." Nothing can be truer from what the witnesses said in their statements and during the meeting. We recently saw a number of advertisements by the HSE for unpaid positions. I did a little bit of searching so I will read one out for the record. The job is for a voluntary assistant psychologist and states:

We are seeking five voluntary assistant psychologists. Posts are either in the adult primary care psychology service or the early intervention team in the HSE Dublin North West. These are non-paid positions. Successful candidates are required to commit to work a minimum of two days in either service.

In this day and age, that is absolutely disgraceful. As was mentioned, 8,500 children are desperately waiting for primary care psychology as we speak. We need to put something in place that will meet the needs of society but also meet the needs of and value psychologists for the journey they must take to achieve their qualifications. Nobody comes into the witnesses' line of work without having that care and empathetic background to help society.

I have one question regarding what the NHS does compared with the HSE. What can we learn in this State to improve and make things better in order for psychologists to get the experience and the paid positions that are needed, but also for society as a whole to get its needs met? As I said, for example, 8,500 children and another 1,500 adults are waiting for primary care psychology. That is 10,000 people in the State who are waiting. What can we learn from the NHS that the HSE could use over here?

I will have a supplementary question for Beat 102-103 afterwards if that is okay.