John Brassil (Kerry, Fianna Fail) | Oireachtas source

I thank the Chairman. I am trying to jump between two committees and it is not easy.

I have a few questions. As a committee, we are trying to come up with suggested solutions to the various issues that are coming at us. One of the principal issues that nearly every group that has come in to us pointed out is staffing, the lack of staffing and the inability to get staff in the key positions, particularly in child and adolescent mental health services, CAMHS, teams and adult mental health services. Consultant psychiatrists cannot be recruited. Often the consultant psychiatrist is the key person in the chain and as a result, referrals are not being made and key decisions are not being made because the person with the most important input is not there to make them. It is not acceptable any more to say that we are advertising the position, the position is funded but we cannot get the person. That is merely sending us around in a circle. Has Mental Health Reform any thoughts on what we could do or suggest as a committee about rearranging CAMHS teams so that we can fill them with staff? It might not be the ideal make-up but at least it is a make-up that can make decisions that can allow people to move on and get appropriate treatment and deal with 12 to 18 month waiting lists for young people trying to get into a service that they need today, not in 18 months time. That is what I would principally be interested to hear the witnesses' thoughts on.