Caoimhghín Ó Caoláin (Cavan-Monaghan, Sinn Fein) | Oireachtas source

Despite what I can only describe as the mantra of the Government regarding additional resources, extra staff, new facilities and so on, it must be clearly stated that mental health services and supports are nowhere near where they should be. The Government states that funding towards mental health services has increased during its tenure to more than €1 billion. This may well be the case but just as with many other areas of the health service, increased funding is not having the effect it should. Staff levels, recruitment and, most especially, retention are under severe pressure.

I wish to place on record my solidarity with and support for all nurses across the State who were either on the picket lines yesterday or represented there by work colleagues. I wish to extend the same good wishes to all our nurses who have emigrated and who, from London, Dubai, Australia and elsewhere, communicated their solidarity with their colleagues. Psychiatric nurses are also due to commence industrial action this week. This is attributable to exactly the same issues of pay and staffing levels. Psychiatric nurses and other staff working in the sector have my complete and unwavering support. I commend them and wish them success in their endeavours.

Early intervention is critical when dealing with mental health issues. It is absolutely essential, just as with any other illness. Early intervention cannot happen if there are extensive waiting lists and a sheer lack of capacity. In my CHO area, CHO 1, which covers my constituency of Cavan-Monaghan and the counties of Leitrim, Sligo and Donegal, there are ten vacant posts. There are 40 young people who have been waiting between three and six months to be seen by CAMHS. Some 38 have been waiting between six and nine months and 17 have been waiting as long as 15 months. This is according to the most recent figures available. A further 145 have been waiting for three months or less. That is a total of 240 who are currently waiting. This reality confirms a serious lack of capacity. There is no other reason for these startling figures. This issue is not political. We all need to work together to address it. The Government must first admit that there is a crisis and secondly embrace an all-party approach to delivering marked improvements. I suggest that in all sincerity. It is in all our interests to work together on improving mental health service provision. Our young people are precious and they need our support. I appeal to the Minister of State to work with colleagues across this Chamber. The issues are self-evident. Let us solve them. We can do that best when we are working together.

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