The Psychological Society of Ireland (PSI) and the Union of Students in Ireland (USI) called for the disparity in funding for psychology trainees in Ireland to be addressed by government to ensure the country has the psychological workforce it needs.

Currently trainee clinical psychologists have 60% of their fees paid and receive a student salary starting at €33,000, while counselling and educational/child trainee psychologists pay fees of between €12,000 and €15,000 per year and do a minimum of 300 hours unpaid work throughout the duration of their study.

PSI Past President, Mark Smyth said: “There is no justifiable reason why trainee counselling or educational psychologists should not also be paid during training while they support the mental health and emotional and educational needs of the most vulnerable.

“There is no integrity in a system that has a 100 per cent plus pay differential between colleagues providing a similar service. An immediate plan is needed from Government detailing when, and how, they will bring this inequity to an end.”

https://soundcloud.com/mark-smyth-802788676/psychequality