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

In respect of the various situations the Deputy has outlined there would be a range of services available. In particular schools there is access to counselling services. There is the child and adolescent mental health service, CAMHS. There are youth clubs with mental health facilities provided by Jigsaw, which is very early intervention. It is run in such a way that young people can go in as if they were going to play pool or music or hang out and there is a discrete area where they can see a counsellor for advice and help.

Deputy Durkan mentioned the teacher. In relation to more serious issues, I want to reassure the House that where there is a serious and imminent risk to a child that a teacher has identified, that child will have a consultation with a social worker before he or she goes home. No child at high risk will be left unprotected. However, the high priorities that we allude to when we talk about high priority are cases perhaps where children are already in care in a safe environment but they do not have an allocated social worker.

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