Réada Cronin (Kildare North, Sinn Fein) | Oireachtas source

We call it mental health, but the news from County Kerry shows there is a sickness in the operation of our youth mental services. Dr. Ankur Sharma opened up to public scrutiny what could be serious systemic failures in the youth mental health services and their operation, perhaps at considerable cost to himself. Instead of being commended, it was reported he was asked to take leave, stripped of his role as clinical lead and reassigned to administration. While young people and their families were desperate for help, there was appalling treatment of families and of the doctor who blew the whistle on the system. The treatment of Dr. Sharma would not surprise any whistleblower in Ireland, given this State's treatment of whistleblowers.

I know apologies have been offered to the families. I also know how easy and handy it is to sideline or scapegoat a whistleblower to save a system. I hope the Minister of State is not going to do that. I am glad the Taoiseach has heeded the call of my colleague, Deputy Ward, and has ordered a review. It must be made public how the doctor in question and all doctors in the CAMHS system were recruited and selected. This is public work. The services are funded by public money that is paid for by the public, and the services treat members of the public, particularly those who are extremely fragile and vulnerable. I watched the Minister of State's speech earlier. I know she is aware we are not talking about people with broken fingernails here. We are talking about people who sometimes have broken hearts and broken lives. They need proven expertise.

In north Kildare, parents cannot get a mental health appointment for their children for love nor money. I have spoken to parents and they are petrified. There is a terror that comes into your heart if you are worried about one of your kids. When the parents get that help, they need to know the professional into whose care they are putting their child is properly qualified, recruited, selected and supervised, if necessary. In response to a parliamentary question I submitted last March, I was told by the HSE that vacant posts in Kildare and Kilcock would be filled imminently. I have queried it since because the posts were not filled. Today, it was announced that appointments made to these two posts will be taken up in a few months' time. I do not call that imminent. Where is the urgency? If the appointments have been made, I am relieved for my constituents who are waiting, watching their children suffering. I wish whoever takes up the posts the best. They will be very welcome because they are very much needed.

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