Michael D'Arcy (Wexford, Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

In common with everybody else, I note that the pressure on budgets in respect of the mental health services has had a huge impact. In 2007, on the basis of implementing A Vision for Change, all Oireachtas Members from County Wexford were the first to agree to close what was the old system, namely, St. Senan's Hospital, which went back to the Victorian tradition of institutionalising people. The services were placed within the community and throughout the county. Carn House, Tara House, Summerhill, Ard Aobhinn and Maryville House have provided good services and, based on my interaction with clients, staff and those who are providing the services, people can only say good things about it. There is an area where is inadequacy - namely, in respect of acute admissions. On the basis of A Vision for Change, it was agreed within County Wexford that there would be admissions in Newcastle, County Wicklow, for people from north County Wexford and in a facility at Waterford General Hospital for those in south County Wexford. I and some other colleagues who stood in the general election gave an undertaking to do all we could to ensure there would be an acute admission facility in County Wexford, where it is required. County Wexford is one of the largest counties and a need exists there which must be met.

However, the area in which major pressures exist is in respect of child and adolescent mental health services, CAMHS. These are new pressures in new areas in which the services are merely catching up. Social media are having a hugely negative impact on some children and adolescents, and much research is required in this regard to try to ascertain the impact it is having. I commend the voluntary associations within my county, such as Talk to Tom and It's Good 2 Talk, to name just two, as well as others. A national group, Cycle Against Suicide, should be commended on bringing awareness to the issue of mental health and bringing into the open that it is not the stigma it once was. We used to call St. Senan's Hospital in Enniscorthy "the Redbrick," which only had a negative connotation about what would happen when one went to that hospital. However, I do not believe we are discussing mental health issues with children sufficiently early. I read research last week about social media and the amount of time children spend in front of a screen or a tablet of some nature.

I wish to touch on the issue of CAMHS in County Wexford, where the accommodation is completely inadequate. The HSE is renting facilities in Enniscorthy and has some facilities in Slaney House. However, there is nothing in Gorey town or district and nothing in the town and district of New Ross. Moreover, there is no out-of-hours service for CAMHS in the county, and it appears to be nearly impossible to recruit a CAMHS consultant psychiatrist. There are three vacant posts in Counties Wexford and Waterford. There is an issue in this regard and Members might as well face up to it. I spoke to a consultant last week who complained about his net pay, rather than his gross pay, because he was paying tax at a rate of 58% between USC, the pension levy and everything else. He told me he would be there for a little while but would leave because he did not intend to pay tax at a rate of 58%. Unfortunately, too many children and adolescents are paying the price because it is not possible to recruit. This is a problem that exists across the entire health service. In addition, I refer to the services for those with complex needs. In the past, these complex needs were served by locking up such people. That is not the answer.

While I would like to speak for longer, my time is up and I do not wish to eat into the time of the next speaker. However, Members should have a mental health debate on the complex needs of a small minority. We should be more detailed and more structured in this regard.

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