Jim Daly (Cork South West, Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

Senator Ó Céidigh asked the very direct question as to whether I would give a commitment to take on that particular challenge regarding temporary and locum staff and if I would see if it is possible to make those staff full-time as part of a solution to the overall recruitment problem. I alluded earlier that my next meeting is with the Secretary General of the Department and the staffing issue is top of my list of matters to discuss with him in any event. I will specifically include that topic and revert to the committee with a comprehensive response. Priorities were mentioned earlier. The top priority for me is the waiting lists relating to CAMHS. The staffing matter is a central kernel to it, and it is the reason given to us time and again for the delays. We need to deal with the staffing issue. The ombudsman spoke about changing legislation and we will consider whether that is the solution. I have discussed tentatively with the HSE about putting somebody else at the head of the team with CAMHS. There are so many protocols and systems in place, it is not straightforward. We are examining this already.

I will give people an assurance from a political perspective. We are all politicians and there is so much we can do, although we cannot do everything. I have been in the job for two weeks and to be fair to the Fianna Fáil Party, there has been a priority for them for some time to get a special committee on mental health up and running. I hope to bring it to the Dáil tomorrow. The terms of reference have been agreed and they are gone today to the officials. I hope we can get it to the Dáil and it can be passed there before coming through this House so we can get the committee up and running without delay. There is a timeline for ending around June next year and it will be dedicated to mental health. It should be solutions-led and politics should be cohesive and collective. I hope we will make good progress on the committee and I look forward to working on it.

Mental health issues are a top priority and today's meeting is another example of it, with the Seanad devoting energy, time and effort to the issue. It is further confirmation that politics will continue to work on this as a top priority. That is one assurance I can give to the people present today. There is not much more for me to say other than to thank everybody for their contributions. I thank the organisers of this initiative. We look forward to further engagements and I hope to make progress in this vital area.