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

There has been a staggering 40% increase in the number of children presenting to emergency departments for mental health care. Emergency departments are not the place for those suffering from mental ill health, especially children. Early intervention is key, but these children are simply not getting that. There are currently 4,000 children on a waiting list for appointments with child and adolescent mental health services. Some 560 of them have been waiting more than six months. More than 2,000 children are awaiting appointments with Jigsaw. In some areas, the waiting list is 20 weeks. Some 115 children who presented to the HSE with an eating disorder were referred to inpatient facilities that do not specialise in eating disorders. There are 10,500 children awaiting primary care psychology and 4,000 of them are waiting over a year. It is no wonder there has been a significant increase in the number of children presenting to emergency departments for mental health treatment. Does the Minister accept that his Government has failed children? How will it address this emergency in children's mental health care?

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