I propose to take Questions Nos. 744 and 745 together.
Significant progress has been made in addressing the human resource requirements of the health service in the area of clinical psychology. In the year to end-2001 there has been an increase of over 100%, plus 30 posts to approximately 60, in the number of trainee clinical psychologists employed. The Deputy may also wish to note the significant increase, in excess of 30%, plus 91 to 380, over the past two years in the numbers of fully qualified psychologists working in the health service.
My Department is currently supporting the provision, for the second year, of in excess of 30 training places in clinical psychology through the Psychological Society of Ireland's, PSI, post-graduate diploma. The report of the joint review group on psychological services, published in March 2002, refers to the swift response of my Department to the requirement for the provision of additional training places.
Primary responsibility for the provision of training places to meet recruitment needs in clinical psychology, consistent with the recommendations of the joint review group rests with the health boards, especially in the context of the requirement to better integrate human resource planning with the service planning process. This is reflected, for example, in the provision of funding directly by health boards in support of training places in clinical psychology at UCD and TCD.
I understand that, following a request received from my Department, the director of the health boards executive has undertaken to work with the directors of human resources in the health boards to develop an approach to facilitate the implementation of the recommendations of the joint review group. This will be undertaken in light of service imperatives, funding priorities and relevant developments such as the recommendations on investment in education and training included in the action plan for people management published in November 2002.
