Charles Flanagan (Laois, Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

The answer to the Deputy's question is "Yes". We will ensure every effort is made to deal with the issue, which I acknowledge is a challenge. I acknowledge the importance of the issues raised by the Deputy. Improving all aspects of CAMHS nationally is a priority for the Government and the Minister of State, Deputy Jim Daly, in particular. An additional €84 million will be provided for mental health services in 2019, which will bring the total available for mental health services to €1 billion, which represents an increase of 9%. That, however, is not the whole issue. I acknowledge what the Deputy has said about staffing and the recruitment challenges. I also acknowledge that there is a difficulty not only in recruitment but also in retention. That applies across the health system but particularly in the mental health service. Every effort is being made by the HSE to address the issue.

I note that primary care capacity has been further developed recently through the funding of a further 114 assistant psychologists and 20 senior psychologists. This will help to manage the demand for psychiatric services, but I acknowledge that it is more than just that. There is also an issue in meeting the demand for psychiatric and psychological services. The HSE and other agencies are working closely with appropriate recruitment agencies, not only in this jurisdiction but also on the international stage, to find suitable and appropriate consultant psychiatrists to deal with this issue. One the one hand, we have increased the resources and, on the other, it is important that every effort be made to attract a proper and adequate coterie of individuals to deal with what is a very serious problem across society.

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