Health Services Staff

Dáil Éireann Debate, Thursday - 24 June 2021

Thursday, 24 June 2021

Questions (449)

Mick Barry

Question:

449. Deputy Mick Barry asked the Minister for Health if his attention has been drawn to the advertisement for seven unpaid assistant psychologist roles in the health service (details supplied); his views on the readvertising of these positions as paid positions; the way many assistant psychologists are currently working in a voluntary capacity within HSE services; his views on the extension of the current national pilot assistant psychologists programme; when a decision on this extension will be announced; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [26432/21]

Written answers

Minister for Health

As this Parliamentary Question relates to an operational issue, it is a matter for the HSE. However, members of the Oireachtas are advised that the HSE is currently unable to access the information to answer Parliamentary Questions due to the recent cyber-attack, which has required a temporary shut-down of HSE IT systems. The disruption to service is on-going, and the HSE is working hard to restore its IT capacity and resume normal services. Members of the Oireachtas will be advised as soon as the HSE is again in a position to provide responses to PQs and are encouraged to resubmit their Parliamentary Questions at that point.