Victor Boyhan (Independent) | Oireachtas source

I thank the panel for coming here today. I welcome the Minister of State. I echo what my colleague, Senator Ó Céidigh, said because I heard the Minister of State on radio twice in the past week. I pulled my car in when he was speaking on "Morning Ireland". I thought that this was a man who was full of conviction and enthusiasm. I sincerely wish him well. He is in the right place and he is the right man for the job. That is clearly something which the Taoiseach recognised in him. That is why he was appointed and it was a good appointment.

To ask a few questions, we heard about resources in today's session and last week's. We heard about the people who experience mental health issues trying to access resources. The mental health situation and services in this country are in crisis. One might as well be talking to two groups of people. Practitioners, and administrators in particular, in the health service say one thing and come up with various excuses. Another group of people experience something very different on the ground. These groups must be connected. This morning we had very professional people who believed and had professional values before the committee. Those values were clear from every one of them who spoke and shared with us today in what is a listening Parliament and a listening exercise.

I will direct all my questions to the Minister of State. He will not get a honeymoon period from me because I believe he can answer my questions and I would be delighted if he did. I believe in the suggestion that we should have a task force. Let us hear from one. We do not want an open task force, and I believe the Minister of State made that point, but what is his view on that issue? How are we going to address the waiting lists? How are we going to have early intervention, because that is the crisis? The time for excuses is over. The time for blaming resources, other people, the administrators, the HSE or Tusla is over. People are sick of it. The people outside this bubble called Leinster House are fed up with it. They are sick of it and they want answers.

Will the Minister of State clearly set out how he is going to address the issue of retention and recruitment of staff into the mental health services? How will he go about minimising the length of waiting times? Will the Minister of State give this body a categorical assurance that not one single designated bed will close this summer? If there are any closed today, will he commit to reopening them? These are designated beds for child psychiatry. I do not want any excuses about staff or other beds. No child should be in an adult psychiatric service. I want the Minister of State to assure us today that if there are any closed, we will reopen them. I want him to give another undertaking that summer holidays will not be used as an excuse, because mental health issues do not stop when the sun shines.

That is the message.