Holly Cairns (Cork South West, Social Democrats) | Oireachtas source

A revealing and noteworthy report marking eating disorder awareness week shows how the health system is failing people with eating disorders. Only 55% of the staff of three new teams promised for 2021 have been recruited and less than one third of available funding has been invested since 2016. According to a freedom of information request, there is no implementation plan for the recruitment and training of staff despite the HSE previously stating in a response to a parliamentary question from me that there was a plan in place. Many people have to go to the UK for treatment and are forced to spend thousands for private care. Those who cannot afford to travel or get private care do not get that care.

Eating disorders are incredibly serious as they are the psychiatric condition most associated with mortality. I have been raising this issue for more than a year now and despite continued assurance from the Taoiseach, the Minister for Health and the Ministers of State at the Department of Health, there has been worryingly little progress. What will the Government do to address this?

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