Chairman:

The committee is certainly focused on children's mental health services. We have asked for a breakdown but we have been given percentages. We will be writing to all the witnesses for the actual breakdown of the 11%, what it means in monetary terms and how it is divided. We were a little bit surprised we were not provided with the monetary figures. Anybody who has a business and has been given money from a bank must supply details on how it has been spent, down to the last penny. The witnesses may have given the committee an overall breakdown but they did not give a detailed one. It is important. How can we ask for more money for CAMHS when we do not know what the HSE is spending or paying for?

We are actually here to help. We are not trying to poke holes in the provision of mental health services. We are trying to see what is wrong. This is the first time there ever has been a committee on mental health care service provision. The witnesses should not see us as the enemies. We are genuinely here to aid the officials. I am sure they are just as frustrated as we are.