Micheál Martin (Cork South Central, Fianna Fail) | Oireachtas source

I raise again with the Taoiseach the growing crisis in the mental health services. This is occurring for a combination of reasons, including the cutbacks of recent years and a major issue with retention and recruitment of nursing staff, psychologists and psychiatrists. There has clearly been a lack of strategic planning on the human resources side for some time. This is having a significant and damaging impact on people with mental health issues, particularly children. Across the country, it has never been as difficult to access mental health services. One example, which was brought to the Taoiseach's attention by Deputy James Browne, was that of people being treated on chairs in corridors in Waterford. In that case, it involved a young 16 year old in an adult ward.

A case has been brought to my attention by another Deputy concerning the hinterlands of Dublin where a patient presented at an emergency department with a general practitioner's letter saying that he was suicidal. He was simply put on anti-depressants and discharged without admission.

There are bed shortages and staff shortages and the situation is becoming alarming, as illustrated by the news that the Linn Dara child and adolescent mental health service, CAMHS, inpatient unit, a children's mental health facility in Cherry Orchard, is closing 11 of its 22 beds from Friday next for the summer due to staff shortages. We have had correspondence, including emails, from parents of patients at Linn Dara who are under enormous pressure. Children who were admitted two weeks ago as being in emergency situations, at high risk and in need of emergency admission are now being discharged early. As parents have asked us, where are they to go next Friday? Why is the HSE saying that the facility will re-open in September? It does not add up that there will be shortages in June but they will be sorted in September.

While there are meant to be 100 child and adolescent beds, there are 63 at present and that will decrease to 52 with what is happening at Cherry Orchard. Deputies across the House are dealing with cases of children, relating in particular to CAMHS, who are on waiting lists for appointments to see psychologists, get access or get assessed. It is time for urgent intervention. That will necessitate using capacity other than public capacity.

Will the Taoiseach intervene to keep the 11 beds in Linn Dara open? I ask him to do so. Will the Government show urgency regarding the retention of staff and the recruitment of additional staff? I do not like saying this but the service is essentially not holding together. It is falling apart at the seams and there are problems.

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