Vol. 558 No. 1
339 Mr. Neville asked the Minister for Health and Children the timetable for implementing the recommendations of the joint review group in psychology services which have a bearing on setting up systems to properly fund clinical psychology training in the health services. [23374/02]
340 Mr. Neville asked the Minister for Health and Children his plans for funding the next intake to clinical psychology training programmes at UCD and TCD. [23375/02]
341 Mr. Neville asked the Minister for Health and Children the process by which health boards access funds from his Department to cover the cost of clinical psychology training at UCD and TCD. [23376/02]
342 Mr. Neville asked the Minister for Health and Children the funding his Department has made available for post-graduate training in clinical psychology in 2002; and the location at which these trainees were situated. [23377/02]
343 Mr. Neville asked the Minister for Health and Children the number of persons who are admitted to clinical psychology training in 2002. [23378/02]
344 Mr. Neville asked the Minister for Health and Children the number of vacancies for clinical psychology posts in each health board area; and the percentage of the total amount of psychology posts that this represents. [23379/02]
373 Ms McManus asked the Minister for Health and Children if his attention has been drawn to the fact that there is a national crisis in clinical psychology training; if his attention has further been drawn to the fact that in 2002 over 50% of clinical psychology posts nationally are vacant, for the entire country only one person was admitted to clinical psychology training in 2002 and funding for 12 postgraduates in clinical psychology at TCD did not materialise; if this matter will be repeated at UCD and TCD in 2003; the mechanisms which will be put in place through which health boards may access funds from his Department to cover the costs of clinical psychology training at UCD and TCD; his plans for funding the next intake to clinical psychology training programme at UCD and TCD; the timetable for implementing the recommendations of the Joint Review Group in Psychology Services which have a bearing on setting up systems to properly fund clinical psychology training in the health services; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [23742/02]
I propose to take Questions Nos. 339 to 344, inclusive and 373, 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% (from 30 posts to about 60) in the number of trainee clinical psychologists employed. The Deputies may also wish to note the significant increase, in excess of 30% (+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 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.
