Tony McLoughlin (Sligo-Leitrim, Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

When I referred to the geographic spread, I was referring to the area comprising Donegal, Sligo, Leitrim, Cavan and Monaghan. The funding for that area is €73.6 million, but perhaps we can go into that matter later.

As mentioned, the child and adolescent mental health services, CAMHS, particularly in the CHO 1 region, operate at a critical stage in service delivery. Children must wait a long time to access the service and many have been turned away. Why? I have met many parents of children who have experienced the same, as have I am sure parents in other parts of the country. Are the delays and lack of service caused by funding constraints or an inability to recruit skilled staff to work in the region? If so, what efforts has the HSE made to address the problem? Is addressing the matter a priority for it? Is the problem being caused because psychologists who have no experience of treating children are not being considered for these positions? Is the recruitment practice developed centrally or by each CHO unit individually?