Funding Allocation of €750,000 to Support Counselling Psychology Trainee Places

“Counselling psychology is a critical intervention across a broad array of health care settings. In particular, counselling psychologists play a crucial role in the provision of mental health services, for both adults and children, across primary care and specialist mental health services and multi-disciplinary teams such as Child and Adolescent Mental Health Services (CAMHS).”

• ten eligible first year students, chosen following a competitive process, will each receive 60% of their fees and a one-year traineeship contract with the Health Service Executive (HSE), worth just over €40,000. Each student who signs up for the one-year traineeship contract, and who has been in receipt of the financial package over the course of all three years will, at time of graduation, be committed to work for the HSE for three years, in recognition of the payment received
• in addition, ten second-year and ten third-year students will also have 60% of their fees paid and will receive a sponsorship payment of €3,500 each per year

“This funding demonstrates the government’s commitment to strengthen access to psychology training and equates to funding supports of €75,000 over a student’s three years of studies. Second and third-year counselling psychology students will also have 60% of their fees paid, as well as receiving a sponsorship payment towards costs, such as transport and accommodation.

“This government remains committed to developing all aspects of mental health services nationally, and a central priority is to improve access to our services and to reduce waiting times. These funding supports will see trainee counselling psychologists and newly qualified counselling psychologists working in our mental health services, enabling improvements in the recruitment and retention challenges we face.”