Ms Tanya Ward:

I will let Ms Quinn take the detail on waiting lists but I note the following.

We know there is a direct link between the availability of community psychologists and CAMHS services and school attendance. When a young person is suffering emotionally and mentally and cannot get the support he or she needs, he or she finds it very hard to go to school and to stay in school. The exams can be the reason for the stress but usually there has been a long lead in period. By the time a young person needs to go to CAMHS there has usually been a long period of stress and that is the reason the person needs CAMHS services. In an area such as Wexford, where there is a gap in service provision, school attendance will be lower. We know that from talking to different actors in the field. We think that is something that must be address because there is an issue with school attendance. If one addresses the mental health needs of those children and young people, one will get better school attendance.