Ms Orla Gogarty:

I wish to cite an example of how we can work in a very functional and progressive way with our colleagues in the Health Service Executive. It is probably not a known fact that as an independently governed organisation, we probably have some more freedoms that, as Mr. Gilligan mentioned, statutory services do not have.

In my role as director of development over the past two years, I have had numerous approaches by local CAMHS services, very challenged and stressed business managers and executive clinical directors, who are struggling with critical gaps in resources, in particular the roles of consultant psychiatrists in CAMHS. I wish to cite one example where we worked towards a very functional arrangement that is still in place with CAMHS in the Sligo-Leitrim area where we provide a triage, which is often one of the first issues. If we can triage the services and get people to the right area, then we do not have them languishing on waiting lists that do not need to be there. They could be pointed to the appropriate primary and community services. We provided assessments in 2015, 2016 and 2017. We provide follow-up care through our consultant psychiatrist and psychotherapy services. We helped the service manage a waiting list that was causing it, families and communities incredible distress and concern.