Frank Feighan (Sligo-Leitrim, Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

The total allocation for mental health services in budget 2023 is more than €1.2 billion. This significant investment will enable implementation of many of the short-term and medium-term measures in our mental health policy, Sharing the Vision. We are enhancing mental health supports across a broad continuum. These range from mental health promotion, prevention and early intervention to acute and specialist service delivery. The mild mental health needs of adults and children with intellectual disabilities are generally best met in services such as HSE primary care or disability services. People may have moderate or severe mental health difficulties in addition to their intellectual disability, however, which can mean treatment needs are more complex.

On 9 September last, the Minister of State, Deputy Butler, launched the new child and adolescent mental health services, CAMHS, intellectual disability model of service. This will ensure that children and adolescents with intellectual disabilities have equal access to mental health care. A child and adolescent mental health service and mental health intellectual disability consultant is being sought at present for Louth-Meath mental health services. The HSE has advised the Department that it has to date been unsuccessful in filling this position. The HSE is again proceeding with recruitment. No date has been identified so far for when the post will be filled.

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