James Reilly (Dublin North, Fine Gael)
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Question 207: To ask the Minister for Health and Children the rules for short-listing candidates in regard to training schemes in psychiatry; her Department's policy on ageism at interviews for such courses; the reason that an additional 10% credit for proficiency in Irish and English and in accordance with the legitimate expectation in Administrative Circular 10/71 is apparently being disregarded by interviewing panels in the Health Service Executive western area; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [23013/07]

Mary Harney (Dublin Mid West, Progressive Democrats)
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The Health Service Executive has responsibility for recruitment procedures with regard to training schemes in psychiatry (other than Senior Registrar training schemes which are run by the Irish Psychiatric Training Committee, Corrigan House, Fenian Street, Dublin 2).

The Health Service Executive is the appropriate body to consider the matters raised by the Deputy. My Department has requested the Parliamentary Affairs Division of the Executive to arrange to have the matters investigated and to have a reply issued directly to the Deputy.

The Department of Health and Children does not have a specific policy relating to ageism at interviews for training programmes in psychiatry or other specialties. However, training bodies and health employers are bound by the relevant statutory provisions in this regard, including the Employment Equality Acts 1998 to 2007, which prohibit discrimination (with certain exemptions) on nine grounds, including grounds of age. Vocational training and work experience are aspects of employment covered by the Acts, and the Acts apply to vocational training bodies.