James Browne (Wexford, Fianna Fail) | Oireachtas source

Page 67 of the programme for Government deals with youth mental health. In 2017, the national youth mental health task force reported, the only mental health initiative from this Government specifically for young people. However, it has been left to rot on the shelf due to infighting between Departments. The Minister with responsibility for mental health has blamed the Minister for Finance, Deputy Paschal Donohoe, who is failing to fund Pathfinder, the interdepartmental team charged with implementing the report. The Minister, Deputy Paschal Donohoe, has refused to answer questions on the matter and is effectively washing his hands of it.

Mental health services for young people are in crisis. In Cork, children are being sent to emergency departments. There are now almost 3,000 children on waiting lists and child psychiatrists are resigning because of poor working conditions. When will the Government take child mental health services seriously, and when will it fund Pathfinder and the national youth mental health task force?

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