Maire Devine (Sinn Fein) | Oireachtas source

There are lots of themes emerging. They say it is the family, it is the children. Where are the supports for families?

It seems they are just left behind. Even if the services eventually get to the child who is having difficulties, the family is never addressed. When the child gets to the hospital, it wants to discharge him or her and says it is up to parents who have no plan and who are left in the dark, without a clue. Parents have to sleep beside their teenage son or daughter 24-7 to keep the child safe. I do not think that is acceptable. The financial cost of speeding up the process to try to get help involves losing one's mortgage and putting one's house at risk. There is not just the financial cost but there is also a cost in terms of lives not lived in that happiness should be at the core of the child's life and he or she should experience the world around them.

The other observation is that a United Nations International Children's Emergency Fund, UNICEF, report came approximately two weeks ago which stated that of 37 nations, Irish children aged between 11 and 15 are at the second highest in terms of saying they have emotional issues on a weekly basis. That is fairly stark and it sends a message to us all. Does the Chairman want me to hurry up?