James Reilly (Dublin North, Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

My colleague, the Minister of State, Deputy Lynch, has been working hard on this issue and has done a tremendous amount of work. No one on the Government side underestimates the problem that is the tragedy of suicide. Sadly, it is something that affects a great many of us through friends or loved ones who may have taken their lives. It always leaves more questions than answers.

I believe we are going to strengthen our child and adolescent services in a major way. I accept that some of the posts have been slow to be filled but we are making progress. For example, the Linn Dara child and adolescent mental health facility in Cherry Orchard, Dublin has opened recently. Several child and adolescent community mental health teams have moved into the new premises. It is expected that the day hospital will be in operation by the end of the year. It is also proposed to construct a 22 bed inpatient facility on the Cherry Orchard site and this is expected to be completed by the end of 2013 or early 2014.

A ten bed child and adolescent forensic mental health unit will be provided as part of the national forensic mental health project. The unit will be based in Portrane, co-terminous with the new central mental hospital, which is expected to be operational by 2016.

See this speech in context