Oireachtas Joint and Select Committees

Tuesday, 14 July 2020

Special Committee on Covid-19 Response

Non-Covid Healthcare Disruption: Mental Health Services (Resumed)

Photo of Cormac DevlinCormac Devlin (Dún Laoghaire, Fianna Fail)
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I am conscious of the time but I thank Dr. Doody for that response. I appeal to the director and to the staff from the HSE in particular to keep that focus on south Dublin. I have been aware of the challenges for many years but I ask them to redouble the efforts to retain and recruit staff for the CHO and the wider field.

In the earlier session, I raised the issue of dual diagnosis. A problem that arises time and again is in terms of people who have an addiction but who also have mental health issues. Could the witnesses comment on that? Primary healthcare services are patchy, to say the least, across the country. Some areas have a functioning primary healthcare service and a centre but others do not, and that presents challenges.

Finally, to the witnesses from the Mental Health Commission, it is stated on page 17 of the report we received in advance of this meeting that the commission was reporting on a weekly basis to the Department of Health. If a second wave of Covid-19 were to hit or just in general the coming weeks or months, is that likely to continue?