Martin Browne (Tipperary, Sinn Fein) | Oireachtas source

The Department has talked about it. Returning to CAMHS, there is an issue about which I want to pick our guests' brains. It concerns the ability of health services to deal with eating disorders. We have been told there is a lack of expertise in that area. I am dealing with a young boy in Cashel. He has an eating disorder and needs the services of a children's disability network team, CDNT, and the support of disciplines outside of that, such as psychiatry and paediatrics. However, the relevant CDNT does not have the needed range of expertise. CAMHS does not deem him eligible for certain reasons. He is falling through the cracks in the system because of a lack of expertise, staffing shortages and the inability of CAMHS to deal with him. Do instances like that come across the desks of our guests on a regular basis? How can we get out of those situations? It is heartbreaking to see. Everyone knows and will agree about the difficulties that this child has but we have no way of dealing with them. It goes around in circles and is heartbreaking for the family.