Eamon Scanlon (Sligo-Leitrim, Fianna Fail) | Oireachtas source

According to the written response I got to a question about the number of posts, in 2016 there were 60 posts, and in 2017 the number had fallen back to 57. A Vision for Change recommended in 2006 that the number of posts for this area be 108. We are fortunate enough to have a consultant who is dealing with the cases as best he can. Quite recently he had to write to all the general practitioners in the area to ask them not to refer any more young people to him as he was not in a position to deal with them. As the Minister of State can well imagine, this puts significant pressure on parents trying to deal with a difficult situation. I know employing people is an issue, but something will have to be done about this because it is at a very serious stage.

See this speech in context