Jack Chambers (Dublin West, Fianna Fail) | Oireachtas source

My next question is on child and adolescent mental health services, CAMHS. Like the Minister of State, on a daily basis I meet people who are battling to access any type of service.

Again, there is a crisis in recruiting enough staff to work in the field of allied health professionals. Will he update the committee on CAMHS and what he is doing to improve the level of intervention that people receive as children and adolescents? The State has failed people born with mild disabilities because it has not provided them with appropriate interventions thus allowing them to develop moderate to severe long-term outcomes. I urge the State to provide the appropriate interventions to these people. What is the Department doing to match greater levels of service for those who have waited a crazy length of time for a basic assessment and for basic intervention, which would make a difference to their lives? Enhancing someone's ability is about giving him or her the appropriate intervention when differences in a child's development or inability to reach certain milestones or whatever else are noticed. There is a complete lack of wraparound services in the disability area at primary and secondary school level and that is the pain that parents must face on a daily basis.

Regarding the disability section and A Vision for Change, what is the Department doing to match the waiting times? Providing the appropriate interventions enhances a person's ability in the long term.