Pauline Tully (Cavan-Monaghan, Sinn Fein)
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63. To ask the Minister for Education and Skills if his attention has been drawn to the shortfall in phycologists which is preventing the HSE from progressing the recruitment of staff for their children’s disability network teams; if he will raise this issue with the Higher Education Authority with a view to expanding the number of places available in this subject area in third-level institutions; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [49177/21]

Simon Harris (Wicklow, Fine Gael)
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My Department is committed to supporting the wellbeing of the population through the provision of graduates with the key competencies and skills to be effective in the health workforce, and support a range of clinical teams, including those supporting people with disabilities.

The National Health and Social Care Professions Office in the HSE have advised me that their Psychology Project Team developed a report which recommended the development of a workforce plan for psychology and the creation of a National Psychology Placement Office which has yet to be established. Implementation of the recommendations in this report is being considered by the HSE in the context of resource requirements and the ongoing estimates process.