Mick Wallace (Wexford, Independent) | Oireachtas source

The truth of the matter is that the service is not good enough in Wexford. I recently asked the HSE what services were available for children and adolescents who presented with suicidal ideation but who were not deemed by CAMHS to have a psychiatric disorder. The reply from the head of mental health services, Ms Liz Kinsella, stated individuals could access a health service on a 24-hour basis, despite the fact that I was asking about mental health services. She went on to refer to a few of the services which were not available on a 24-hour but a nine-to-five, five days a week basis. She referred to a school counsellor who was available during school hours and the Ferns Diocesan Youth Service which was available in Wexford town. Again, it is a nine-to-five, Monday to Friday, service. We rang two of the organisations she mentioned - I think the Minister of State mentioned one also - the HSE community primary care and disability psychology service and the HSE self-harm intervention programme, on the day we received her reply after 5 p.m. but it rang out. She also referred to the CAMHS team in Wexford, but the question was what would happen when the CAMHS team put someone on a waiting list for psychology services? The HSE needs to provide talking therapies for children that are affordable, easily accessed and promoted as part of the HSE child and mental health services. The services available in Wexford are not what the Minister of State seems to think they are. They are abysmal. We are inundated with complaints from parents about the current situation.

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