Sorca Clarke (Longford-Westmeath, Sinn Fein) | Oireachtas source

A response to a parliamentary question put by my colleague, Deputy Ward, showed yet another increase in the number of children awaiting psychological treatment. Of the 13,000 waiting on treatment, more than 11,000 of them are children, almost 4,000 of whom have been waiting over a year for an appointment. This represents a 7% increase between January and May this year. This is not sustainable and immediate action is required. There seems to be a persistent crisis in the provision of mental health services across the country. The HSE invested €38 million in fees and salaries of trainee clinical psychologists over the past five years, yet did not directly recruit one newly qualified clinical psychologist. The psychologists and resources are there but the ability and will to hire them is not. At this time, when we are experiencing an unprecedented demand for psychological support in primary care, what action will the Government take to make real efforts in addressing vacancies in psychology services and to reduce the waiting list to deliver these services?

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