Mark Ward (Dublin Mid West, Sinn Fein) | Oireachtas source

At the committee on children it was revealed that 20 children under the care of Tusla accessed south Kerry's child and adolescent mental health services, CAMHS, during the period covered by the Maskey report. Of these, six children suffered harm or significant harm, that is, 30% of all children under the care of the State who accessed CAMHS in south Kerry were placed at some form of harm. The Department of Health has revealed to me that it had no engagement with Tusla on this until it received a parliamentary question from me. I was further advised that the statutory and operational responsibility for the delivery of children's welfare is a matter for Tusla, whereas CAMHS is managed by the HSE and is a separate entity. Nobody seems to be talking to each other. What plans has the Government in place to address the deficiencies between the two arms of the State that failed these vulnerable children in order to stop these vulnerable children falling through the cracks?

See this speech in context