Verona Murphy (Wexford, Independent) | Oireachtas source

Regarding the meeting with the HSE on 1 February, I request that there also be a Tusla representative in attendance. I put in a series of parliamentary questions in November asking how expenditure was being outlined for 2024, particularly in respect of the parent supports programme. I have not had any answers. In the context of what I deal with in regard to mental health and child and adolescent mental health services, CAMHS, in particular, it is really important that we have clarity that the budget is there to support parents and families who are not getting the services but still need urgent help. I have not been able to ascertain what the budget is and whether that scheme is up and running. We absolutely must have representatives from the HSE and Tusla before us who have responsibility for that. The future costs of not dealing with these types of issues mean it would be pure neglect not to do so. The cost is phenomenal. We heard about it at the mental health conference set up by the Minister of State, Deputy Butler, on Tuesday. The economist who spoke said that not dealing with the issues at a young age brings phenomenal cost at the adolescent stage. It is not too late to write requesting that a representative of Tusla attend the meeting on 1 February. That representative should be at CEO level.