Dáil debates

Wednesday, 13 March 2019

Ceisteanna Eile - Other Questions

Child and Adolescent Mental Health Services Administration

11:20 am

Photo of Jim DalyJim Daly (Cork South West, Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

I would be delighted to answer the Deputy's questions if he is prepared to listen. I was about to inform the Deputy, while I did not realise he was so sensitive to politics, that I have built a lower level of infrastructure across the country over the past 12 months. We have recruited 114 assistant psychologists, 20 psychologists and ten advanced nurse practitioners for young people across the country, including in the area that Deputy Chambers represents. An independent evaluation that was produced by the University of Limerick for me last week has shown that it will reduce the waiting list for primary care psychology by 1,350 young people this year.

That is real progress and it is the future. It is not about reacting and throwing more money at CAMHS to deal with waiting lists. Rather, proactive investment in lower-level interventions will prevent people escalating to that level of acuity.

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