Helen McEntee (Meath East, Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

It is not acceptable that a ten-year old feels he does not want to live. That is part of a much wider conversation we need to have with young people in order that they will be able to express what it is they are feeling and identify the supports they need. We also need to ensure we have programmes in place that are suitable for individuals. We have always had a one-size-fits-all approach. If a young person had a problem, he or she was automatically sent to CAMHS, but we know that it is not the answer for everybody. That is why we are trying to look at the supports available within the community which would be best suited and best provide for young persons at the age of ten years.

It is also why we are developing the assistant psychology posts and why we are looking at providing supports that are tailored towards people's needs, specifically for our younger people.

We had another meeting of the task force yesterday. Work is ongoing. The recruitment of staff is key to this, and that is a problem we are facing not just in Wexford but throughout the country. We are trying to invest in our services. The Deputy mentioned that people are not keeping in touch and that if a person is referred on to another service he or she is not then coming back. There is no easy flow forwards or backwards. That is down to technology and a change in people's attitudes, and it is something on which we need to work with service providers to try and improve.

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