Mark Ward (Dublin Mid West, Sinn Fein) | Oireachtas source

Early intervention was mentioned and how children are getting lower levels of engagement and have lower levels of mental health. We have 13,000 people waiting for a primary care psychologist. There is a 14% increase in young people who are looking for access to Pieta counselling. I met with Pieta representatives last week. They told me children as young as five turn up to the services now.

There is also the postcode lottery in relation to treatment. For example, there is a four-week waiting list for a young person living in Wicklow who is looking for a Jigsaw service. A young person living in Cork has a 30-week waitlist. It is difficult for young people to get that care. As was said, they are then more likely to need the acute service of CAMHS. What is being put in place to address that? That should be a priority and it would take pressure of CAMHS as well.