Dr. Philip Dodd:

I cannot honestly say with regard to numbers prior to 2019 or 2020 because the national clinical programme was not sufficiently in place to gather that level of diagnostic specific data. What I know is, and the Minister of State, Deputy Butler, has addressed this point, that the level of acuity and the numbers of individuals presenting with eating order-type distress has obviously increased significantly. With regard to future planning, the Minister of State, Deputy Butler, met with Dr. Amir Niazi and Dr. Michelle Clifford, the national clinical lead for eating disorders, to specifically discuss the future response to the demand for eating disorder services. The HSE is planning for 2022 to utilise any additional resource in a way that will respond in a broader geographically dispersed way, so that it will not simply be allied around specialist themes. There will be provision in a broader setting to respond to the full population as best as possible.