Pauline Tully (Cavan-Monaghan, Sinn Fein) | Oireachtas source

As I said, the biggest problem is with HSE recruitment practices. They are cumbersome and archaic. Just before I came to the Chamber, this issue was discussed at a private meeting of the Joint Committee on Disability Matters. Several of its members said they know highly qualified people who were not refused and were put on panels. They were placed third, fourth or fifth on a panel a year ago and still have not been offered a position. That is something the HSE needs to address immediately. We have highly qualified people who could be induced into the services.

We also need to look at the number of third level places that are being offered to study these various therapies. By increasing the number of third level places we can reduce the points required to get into these courses. Many people are interested in them but they cannot get the points, which are very high because the places are so few. We need to talk to and entice all these young people to take on these courses by ensuring they have jobs guaranteed at the end of them for a certain period.

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