Dan Neville (Limerick, Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

I thank the Leas-Cheann Comhairle for allowing me to raise this issue which, unfortunately, we have been raising for over a decade and a half. During that period the professionals have expressed concern about the proper care of children in need of psychiatric in-patient care. Having children, some under ten years of age, in the same ward as people aged 30 to 90 years is deemed by all psychiatrists, psychotherapists and general mental health service staff to be totally unsuitable and detrimental to their recovery. We must be concerned about the high number of children being admitted to adult psychiatric units. In 2013 there were 91 admissions to adult units, involving 83 children.

A Vision for Change 2006 included the recommendations of the expert group that mental health inpatient services for children up to the age of 18 years be provided only in dedicated child and adolescent psychiatric inpatient units. The HSE has failed to meet the code of practice on the admission of children under the Mental Health Act 2001, as drawn up by the Mental Health Commission. The code of practice specified that from July 2009 no child under the age of 16 years should be admitted to an adult inpatient unit and that the same should apply from December 2010 to any child under 17 years and from 2011 to any child under the age of 18 years.

The length of stay varied. In this regard, Deputy Seán Ó Feargháil was correct to raise the issue of emergency care at weekends. With 60 beds available and 48 in use, 12 were available, although the statement told us none was available. Some 105 beds are promised by 2015.

Perhaps the Minister of State might comment on the progress he expects to be made on the plans. I also draw attention to the fact that in the original plan 20 beds were to be provided in the mid-west region, but that has not happened and we are told it will probably not happen at all now. The Minister of State might have some information on this.

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