Mary Butler (Waterford, Fianna Fail) | Oireachtas source

I thank the Minister of State for his answer. I acknowledge he has to read out what has been given to him but unfortunately it states once again that the service is not available for children aged between six and 18. We are going to have to find a solution, and I believe we can. I welcome the pilot programme, although it is phased. It is a small step in the right direction that will deal initially with some children in Waterford city. We need this programme rolled out across the whole city and county, however. I definitely regard it as a step in the right direction.

An issue arose over the posts. There were originally 1.6, which increased to 2.8. There are now 3.8 but the additional post is only temporary for 12 months. Savings found in a different department were allocated to increase the number to 3.8, but the post is not permanent. The fundamental point is that we need whole-term equivalent senior psychologists. We need to be guaranteed at least six of them. I acknowledge it is all down to budgets but, ultimately, when the HSE states there is no psychologist available to a child aged between six and 18 in Waterford, just because of where he or she is living, it is very damning.

I do not wish to play one county against another but I refer to Kilkenny because it has a similar population base. Kilkenny actually has six posts. We have 2.8 permanent posts and the same population. We need to find a solution and find one fast. The only way we will find one is by having permanent posts because, unfortunately, it is very hard for any qualified psychologist to uproot himself or herself and his or her family and move to Waterford if the post there is not guaranteed and is only temporary for 12 months. I welcome the small steps regarding the pilot programme but I believe the only way forward is to get some kind of guarantee that we will have whole-term equivalent senior psychologists.

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