Liam Quaide

259. Deputy Liam Quaide asked the Minister for Health whether her Department or the HSE has been consulted in relation to NEPS supporting, funding or facilitating educational psychology doctorate placements that are primarily or exclusively school-based; whether any assessment has been made of whether such placements would equip graduates to work in HSE, CHI, CDNT, CAMHS, CAMHS-ID, primary care psychology or assessment of need services; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [49892/26]

260. Deputy Liam Quaide asked the Minister for Health the number of educational psychology trainees currently funded, sponsored or supported by the HSE, CHI or any other health service agency; the contractual obligations attached to such funding; the number of trainees who have sought to withdraw from HSE-funded or health-service-funded arrangements or repay funding in each of the past five years; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [49893/26]

261. Deputy Liam Quaide asked the Minister for Health the number of psychologists currently employed across HSE child psychology services, including primary care psychology, CDNTs, CAMHS, CAMHS-ID, assessment of need services and CHI; the number of whole-time equivalent vacancies in each service area; the turnover rate in each of the past five years; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [49894/26]

262. Deputy Liam Quaide asked the Minister for Health the assessment her Department or the HSE has carried out of whether educational psychology training delivered largely through NEPS or school-based placements would equip graduates to work with children under five, non-verbal children, children with acquired brain injury, children with significant mental health needs, children requiring autism diagnostic assessment, and children requiring direct therapeutic intervention; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [49895/26]

263. Deputy Liam Quaide asked the Minister for Health whether her Department, the HSE, CHI, CDNTs, CAMHS, CAMHS-ID, primary care psychology services or assessment of need services have been consulted in relation to any proposal to increase the number of educational psychology doctorate trainees through NEPS-supported placements; whether any concerns have been raised by health or disability services about the implications of such a model for the wider child psychology workforce; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [49896/26]

264. Deputy Liam Quaide asked the Minister for Health whether her Department, the HSE or CHI has received any addendum, briefing note, supplementary documentation or correspondence indicating that educational psychology placements for additional doctorate trainees would be largely supported by NEPS; whether a response was issued by her Department, the HSE or CHI; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [49897/26]

265. Deputy Liam Quaide asked the Minister for Health whether her Department has examined the implications for HSE, CHI, CDNT, CAMHS, CAMHS-ID, primary care psychology and assessment of need services of training a significantly increased number of psychologists through school-based placements; whether there is a risk that public funding will produce graduates whose training is too narrow to work across child health and disability services; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [49898/26]

266. Deputy Liam Quaide asked the Minister for Health whether graduates of doctorate programmes with placements largely or exclusively in NEPS or school-based settings would be considered eligible and competent for appointment to HSE child psychology posts, including CDNTs, primary care psychology, CAMHS, CAMHS-ID, CHI and assessment of need services; the discussions that have taken place with the Department of Education and Youth, NEPS, PSI, CORU and universities on this matter; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [49888/26]

267. Deputy Liam Quaide asked the Minister for Health the role, if any, additional NEPS-supported educational psychology trainees or graduates are expected to play in reducing assessment of need waiting lists, supporting implementation of the autism assessment protocol, and meeting the needs of children under five or children with complex disabilities; whether the HSE considers such trainees or graduates appropriately trained for that work; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [49889/26]

268. Deputy Liam Quaide asked the Minister for Health if she is satisfied that any proposed expansion of educational psychology training through NEPS-supported or school-based placements is consistent with the needs of HSE and CHI child health and disability services, having regard to the need for psychologists with competencies across direct therapeutic work, autism assessment, disability, acquired brain injury, preschool children, child and adolescent mental health, and complex developmental presentations; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [49913/26]

271. Deputy Liam Quaide asked the Minister for Health if information will be provided in relation to psychiatry of later life services for (details supplied); and if she will make a statement on the matter. [49923/26]

272. Deputy Liam Quaide asked the Minister for Health the number of new posts funded in 2026 for psychiatry of later life services, expressed as whole-time equivalents, broken down by HSE health region, CHO, team and discipline, including consultant psychiatrist, non-consultant hospital doctor, community mental health nurse, psychologist, occupational therapist, social worker and administrative support where applicable; whether each post is currently filled, in recruitment or not yet progressed; the funding source for these posts; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [49924/26]

27. Deputy Liam Quaide asked the Taoiseach if he will report on his recent meeting with US President Donald Trump. [48680/26]

424. Deputy Liam Quaide asked the Minister for Education and Youth whether her Department or NEPS has sought any change to the current accreditation or training standards for educational psychologists, including any change from a requirement for experience across mental health, disability and education settings; the rationale for any such change; whether an organisations relevant professional divisions (details supplied) were consulted; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [49869/26]

425. Deputy Liam Quaide asked the Minister for Education and Youth whether NEPS is currently supporting, funding or facilitating educational psychology doctorate placements that are primarily or exclusively school-based; whether such placements meet existing PSI accreditation standards; whether any concerns have been raised by PSI, CORU, universities, the HSE or other child health services; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [49870/26]

426. Deputy Liam Quaide asked the Minister for Education and Youth the number of educational psychology trainees currently funded or sponsored by NEPS, the HSE or other agencies; the contractual obligations attached to such funding; the number of trainees who have sought to withdraw from NEPS-funded arrangements or repay funding in each of the past five years; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [49871/26]

427. Deputy Liam Quaide asked the Minister for Education and Youth the number of NEPS psychologists that are currently employed; the number of whole-time equivalent vacancies; and the turnover rate in each of the past five years. [49872/26]

428. Deputy Liam Quaide asked the Minister for Education and Youth the assessment that has been carried out on whether educational psychology training delivered largely through NEPS placements would equip graduates to work with children under five, non-verbal children, children with acquired brain injury, children with significant mental health needs, children requiring autism diagnostic assessment, and children requiring direct therapeutic intervention; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [49873/26]

430. Deputy Liam Quaide asked the Minister for Education and Youth whether her Department has examined the implications of training a significantly increased number of psychologists through school-based placements when major psychology shortages exist in CDNTs, CAMHS, primary care psychology, CHI and assessment of need services; whether there is a risk that public funding will produce graduates whose training is too narrow to work across child health and disability services; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [49876/26]

431. Deputy Liam Quaide asked the Minister for Education and Youth whether graduates of educational psychology programmes with placements largely or exclusively in NEPS settings would be eligible and considered competent to work outside NEPS, including in HSE child psychology posts, CDNTs, primary care psychology, CAMHS, CAMHS-ID, CHI and assessment of need services; the discussions that have taken place with the HSE on this matter; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [49877/26]

432. Deputy Liam Quaide asked the Minister for Education and Youth the role additional NEPS-supported educational psychology trainees are expected to play in reducing assessment of need waiting lists, supporting implementation of the Autism Assessment Protocol and meeting the needs of children under five or children with complex disabilities; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [49878/26]

815. Deputy Liam Quaide asked the Minister for Health the expected timeline for commencement of the provisions of the Health (Assisted Human Reproduction) Act 2024 relating to domestic and international surrogacy; the expected timeline for publication and enactment of any amending legislation required before full commencement; whether transitional arrangements will be put in place for intending parents who have already begun, or are about to begin, an overseas surrogacy process before the new framework is fully operational; the way such families will be advised in advance of commencement; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [49105/26]

816. Deputy Liam Quaide asked the Minister for Health the way in which the Assisted Human Reproduction Regulatory Authority will determine which overseas jurisdictions may be approved for international surrogacy arrangements; whether jurisdictions that permit compensated or commercial surrogacy will be excluded; the way the distinction will be made between reasonable expenses, compensation and prohibited commercial arrangements; whether a list of approved or prohibited jurisdictions will be published before the relevant provisions are commenced; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [49106/26]

817. Deputy Liam Quaide asked the Minister for Health the consideration that has been given to the position of intending parents who require surrogacy due to medical infertility, including infertility arising from cancer treatment in childhood or young adulthood and where donated eggs or embryos are required; whether this cohort has been specifically considered in the development of the domestic and international surrogacy framework; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [49107/26]

936. Deputy Liam Quaide asked the Minister for Further and Higher Education, Research, Innovation and Science to provide clarity on whether researchers seeking postdoctoral funding commencing in 2027 will have access to a nationally competitive fellowship scheme comparable to the current Government of Ireland postdoctoral fellowship programme; if not, how such funding will instead be allocated; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [49174/26]