Martin Browne (Tipperary, Sinn Fein) | Oireachtas source

Sorry. I am speaking about ARFID and about Riain, a boy from County Tipperary whose case I have raised previously. He cannot get proper treatment within the health service, but he is not alone. More families are presenting with their own accounts of difficulty in accessing services, or even a pathway to treatment. Many get shoved from pillar to post between child and adolescent mental health services and the children's disability network teams, which just do not have the skills to treat people with ARFID who may also have autism spectrum disorder. People are being left aside. The health service is just not up to speed on ARFID, which is more common than even the families knew, such is the lack of proper services. Will the Tánaiste or the Minister for Health meet with these families to learn about their condition and the physical, emotional and financial impacts that a lack of medical pathways is having on them? Will they endeavour to improve the provision of services? Will either of them accept the offer to meet the families?

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