Brian Stanley (Laois, Independent) | Oireachtas source

I thank the Minister for his reply. While there are moves afoot, it needs to be at a scale and a pace to match the demand that is there.

The HSE states in one of its replies to me that there is an apprenticeship programme for social workers. Can there be apprenticeship programmes for other disciplines? Maybe that cannot be done but that is possibly one area that could be used.

We agree that the current situation cannot continue. We have to expand what is there. However, on the way home last night at 9.30 p.m. on the local radio, I heard an advertisement from a private company seeking people in these disciplines and are recruiting them. There is a huge problem there with retention in the HSE. The Minister is right about increasing the supply because obviously that has to happen.

On training places, I mentioned apprenticeships. That may not be appropriate for some of those disciplines because it may be required at a different level. I do not know the ins and outs of that but where apprenticeships can be used, can we look at doing that and increasing the supply? This year, with the new academic year, can we further increase the places in universities in those disciplines?

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