Ivana Bacik (Dublin Bay South, Labour) | Oireachtas source

I thank the Taoiseach for his response but it does not sound as if he and the Government are bringing the necessary urgency to this. I am conscious, as I think we all are, that Dr. Susan Finnerty found her findings so stark that she published them as an interim report. There is an urgent need for action to address that report. As I said, it is over ten years since an expert group recommended reform of the Mental Health Act to ensure all parts of existing legislation relating to children would be in a separate stand-alone section setting out child-specific guiding principles in line with international human rights standards. That is the sort of overall governance the Government needs to be leading on.

The Taoiseach said the Government would give consideration to it but we need to hear more urgency from him about putting in place the necessary framework in order that the services can be delivered to the children who are being currently failed. I would like to hear from the Taoiseach what the parameters are for the HSE review into the open cases. The Taoiseach stated he does not have that available. I would like to hear about the timeline of the amendment of the Mental Health Act.

Finally, can the Taoiseach accept the calls of organisations like Neurodiversity Ireland, which are seeking an urgent round-table discussion with stakeholders, parents groups and clinicians to address the devastating situation for children's mental health services?

See this speech in context