James Browne (Wexford, Fianna Fail)
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432. To ask the Minister for Health if his attention has been drawn to the fact that a newly-qualified clinical psychologist remains jobless since September 2019 owing to recruitment restrictions in counties Mayo, Galway, Roscommon, Sligo and Leitrim; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [50285/19]

Simon Harris (Wicklow, Fine Gael)
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I am advised by the HSE that while there is no national recruitment embargo or moratorium, there is a priority requirement for all HSE services to maintain, or get to, an affordable staffing level that is sustainable in 2019 and 2020, while also prioritising the delivery of safe services.

In light of this, the HSE advise that they have introduced control measures relating to staffing and recruitment to ensure that they live within the available resources provided to them. This does mean that in some Hospital Groups and Community Healthcare Organisations non-critical replacement posts will be paused.