Donegal councillor Gerry McMonagle says he hopes the HSE will continue to seek to recruit people to work in children’s disability services in this region.
He was told at Tuesday meeting of the Regional Health Forum that there is the equivalent of 27.5 full time posts vacant across Donegal in Children’s Disability Network Teams (CDNTs).
Cllr McMonagle had requested an update on the vacant positions, acknowledging there had been a “massive drive” to recruit, something which he very much welcomed.
Having been informed there are 9.6 posts in East Donegal and Inishowen, 10.8 posts vacant in North Donegal and 7.1 in South Donegal he stressed the importance for the children and parents involved.
“I hope we will continue to go out there and recruit. We have ten posts filled since January and we have to be thankful for that,” he said.
The vacant posts include Speech and Language therapists, Physiotherapists, Social Care Workers, Specialist Occupational Therapists, and Psychologists across various grades.
Chief Officer Community Healthcare Organisation, (Cavan, Donegal, Leitrim, Monaghan, Sligo), Dermot Monaghan advised Cllr McMonagle that recruitment is ongoing.
He added that the CDNT Service and HR Department attended the Atlantic Technological University (ATU) Job Fair last October to promote roles within the CDNT Service.
Various other recruitment promotions were attended including the London Irish Centre event held last week.
Mr Monaghan added that through a bursary initiative with ATU, Letterkenny and Coventry University, 23 candidates were awarded bursaries in OT, PT and Dietetics.
This has led to seven candidates coming on stream in 2024, and 16 in 2025.
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