Pearse Doherty (Donegal, Sinn Fein)
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692. To ask the Minister for Health if access to out-of-hours and weekend cover for mental health services is available in the County Donegal catchment area of the HSE, including nursing, psychology and other allied health services; if so, if he will provide details of these services, by WTE, across each discipline. [51238/22]

Mary Butler (Waterford, Fianna Fail)
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As this is a service matter, I have asked the Health Service Executive to respond directly to the Deputy as soon as possible.

Patrick Costello (Dublin South Central, Green Party)
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693. To ask the Minister for Health the reason counselling psychologists are included in the budget 2023 announcement of €750,000 to support counselling and psychology training places, but not educational psychologists, given they both train and are qualified to work in mental health services post qualification. [51242/22]

Mary Butler (Waterford, Fianna Fail)
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The total allocation for mental health services in 2023 is over €1.2 billion, which is another record budget for mental health services. This significant investment will enable implementation of many of the short and medium-term measures in our national mental health policy, Sharing the Vision. It will enhance the provision of mental health supports across a broad continuum from mental health promotion, prevention and early intervention, to acute and specialist mental health service delivery. The funding will enable us to continue to deliver our vital services to as many people as possible, as we move into 2023.

In relation to the HSE Mental Health care programme, €750,000 has been provided in Budget 2023 to support counselling psychology training places. This funding demonstrates the Government’s commitment to strengthen access to psychology training. Further detailed discussions will now take place between the Department and HSE to progress both this and wider commitments of the 2023 Budget in the context of preparing the HSE Service Plan 2023. In addition, the Department of Health has been advised by the Department of Education that the Minister for Education and her Department very much value the work of all educational psychologists across the education system. I understand they are working proactively and intensively to find a positive resolution for the issue of fees for trainee educational psychologists.

The Department of Health will continue to work collaboratively with the Department of Education and other Government Departments as required on the issue of workforce planning for health and social care professionals, including on future planning in terms of psychology education, training, and placement. This approach will support the implementation of Sharing the Vision.