Mick Wallace (Wexford, Independent) | Oireachtas source

In the past month alone, my office has been contacted by four different families regarding services for suicidal children and teenagers in Wexford. We were contacted by a 14 year old girl and her mother. She has presented to the HSE twice with suicidal thoughts. Her father committed suicide when she was younger and her uncle also committed suicide. She wrote a letter to the office of the Minister for Health recently. She received an acknowledgement but nothing since. I would like to read a piece of her letter in order to reflect her own words:

Dear Minister Harris,

I am fourteen years old and from Wexford. I am writing to you to tell you my experience of seeking help for my mental health.

In January 2016 I asked for help as I was experiencing suicidal thoughts and struggling to come to terms with very tragic bereavements in family.

I was referred to psychology services in the HSE. They met with my Mam and then me in June 2016. They said they could help me, but I am on the waiting list. I was informed that I would be waiting between 1-2 years.

In December '16/ January '17, I had thoughts of suicide again and of being unable to cope. I was very confused and emotional.

On Wednesday the 18^thof January ’17, my doctor put me into A&E to see a mental health group. I saw a normal doctor and he told me that I had to stay in one night so I would be seen quicker.

On the Thursday morning, I was told I was going to be seen but as the day went on, we heard no more. When the doctor was doing his rounds, my Mam asked the nurse what time were CAMHS coming at and the nurse said they aren’t coming anymore. After that I was made stay in hospital until Monday the 24^th. I was scared and very anxious and did not understand why I had to stay in hospital. I just needed someone to talk to and help me deal with my low mood and emotions.

I was finally seen on Monday by CAMHS and got discharged with no appointment for help still. They said I needed a psychologist and they don’t have one on their team and they would have to contact the other service. I would like to know why there is no help for children when they ask for it? What can you do or what can be done to stop other children going through this?

I spoke about a similar matter recently in the Dáil when we had statements on hospital waiting lists. I referred to a woman who approached me in a supermarket in Wexford whose son presented with suicidal ideation and spent five days screaming for help in Wexford Hospital. Child psychiatry and child psychology services were not available through the county until someone was eventually dispatched from Dublin.

The girl who wrote to the Minister, Deputy Harris, also spent five days in hospital before she was able to speak to mental health professionals through staff from CAMHS. They assessed her and said she had no psychiatric disorder and, therefore, she did not require their services but instead those of a psychologist. The mother and teenager to whom I referred have gotten nowhere after 14 months, two GP referrals, two assessments with CAMHS and psychology services and one five-day stint in hospital, despite the fact that CAMHS and psychology services say she needs help.

The people in Wexford are tired of begging for proper services. The Minister of State can tell me about all the extra funding that is being provided and what is being done, but it is not being felt in Wexford by the people who need help from the State. Such help is not there for them. What in God's name can the Government do to help?

See this speech in context