Kathleen Lynch (Cork North Central, Labour) | Oireachtas source

With regard to children being placed in inappropriate places, my research tells me that they are usually aged 16 or 17. I was worried that this involved a younger cohort but, nevertheless, when young people are placed in inappropriate beds on adults wards and beds are available within the CAMHS unit, a question needs to be asked. I have asked that question of those charged with both delivering the service and inspecting it. We need to have a conversation about what is causing the delay and why there are such waiting lists.

We are looking for a child and adolescent psychiatrist but we cannot get one. We have tried not only on these shores, but also abroad. A private service offering much more than we are offering cannot recruit such a psychiatrist. There are difficulties in some areas and we have to recognise this difficulty. I am not certain how to resolve it but we are working on a solution.

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