Kathleen Lynch (Cork North Central, Labour) | Oireachtas source

I will be brief as I do not have time to answer the questions as put. With regard to vulnerable adults, Mr Pat Healy is here and he might take up that matter. I must go as the statements on the national dementia strategy will shortly be taken in the Dáil. I hope to get back here. We are in negotiations about a range of vaccines and I know Deputy Conway has also put down a question on that. As the negotiations are ongoing, we should allow them to happen. That should not take forever.

There was mention of the child and adolescent mental health service, CAMHS, and I share those concerns. We must remember that CAMHS is for people who are acutely unwell and outside of that, we should be able to take a deeper look at the waiting list - we have been doing that - to see where exactly people can be dealt with. Perhaps it could be at the very early stages, as was suggested, so that people do not necessarily have to go to CAMHS. We have much difficulty with recruitment. I spoke to the director this morning and we have not been very successful in the recruitment process. She can fill in the committee on that as well. We are very conscious of the need for pathways to be clearer and access to be more immediate. There is a programme being worked on because we can do much better. When there are glaring gaps like we have had with personnel within the service, it is very difficult to deliver on our very high expectation. We have reduced waiting times and are getting on top for the first time with bed allocation and inappropriate placement. We have far more information on that now, which we did not have before. I must go but I will do my best to return.