Dáil Éireann Debate, Thursday - 31 March 2022
407. Deputy David Cullinane asked the Minister for Health if his attention has been drawn to training and pay inequalities between educational psychologists and clinical psychologists; if his Department has engaged or will engage with the Department of Further and Higher Education, Research, Innovation and Science to address same; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [17260/22]
View answer428. Deputy David Cullinane asked the Minister for Health if additional funding will be made available for implementation of the Report of the National Psychology Project Team and in particular, a recommendation in relation to funding of counselling psychologists along the same lines as clinical psychologists; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [17304/22]
View answerI propose to take Questions Nos. 407 and 428 together.
The Report of the Psychology Review Implementation Group in 2017 expanded the care group employment available to counselling and educational psychologists. The report’s recommendation led to the establishment of a Project Team to implement this recommendation.
In February 2019, HSE Community Operations convened a Project Team, chaired by Dr Cathal Morgan, comprised of representatives from Clinical, Counselling and Educational Psychology; Social Care, Disability, and Mental Health services; Community and Acute services; Operational and National HR; and the Health and Social Care Professions office.
The Project Team was tasked with, inter alia, considering the preparation of a workforce plan for psychological services in the HSE, including an examination of the current framework for training psychologists for the health service, and the type, and skill-mix, required for the future. The work of the Project Team was informed by a thorough stakeholder consultation process.
Clinical Psychology Trainees, on the doctoral programme, are HSE employees and are in receipt of partial funding (60%) of HEI fees each year. Traditionally the educational and counselling psychologists’ courses have not been funded by the HSE. The HSE does not employ or contribute to HEI fees for Counselling and Educational Psychologists during their doctoral training.
The Report of the National Psychology Project Team, Establishment of a National Psychology Placement Office and Workforce Planning, was completed in January 2021. The Report contains a plan to address a range of matters in relation to psychology through establishment of a placement office and workforce planning. Implementation of the report’s recommendations and the creation of a National Psychology Placement Office are a matter for the HSE in the context of available health resources.
The Deputy may wish to note that the rates of pay for the grades of Clinical Psychologists and Educational Psychologists are as set out in the Department of Health’s Consolidated Salary Scales which are available to view online here: www.gov.ie/en/publication/b556a-application-of-1-october-2021-pay-adjustments/. As is evidenced within the pay scales document, no disparity exists between these two grades.
