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

Despite the programme for Government commitment to build further capacity in child and adolescent mental health services, CAMHS, the waiting lists for young people are getting longer and, more crucially, professional staff are leaving the service.

I do not know if the Taoiseach is aware of a study undertaken by researchers in Trinity College Dublin and published today which describes how young people are presenting with far more complex and acute mental health issues, including self-harm, suicidal ideation and difficulties arising from dysfunction within family relationships. The researchers interviewed groups of staff in CAMHS who outlined how frustrated they are with the stagnation of the service. They confirmed that: "A lot of brilliant people are leaving CAMHS and that there is a collective feeling of frustration among people working in our child and adolescent mental health services." There are 2,500 waiting to get access to CAMHS. The Government's approach is not working. I want the Taoiseach to outline any plans the Government has to improve its performance in the mental health area.

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