Stephen Donnelly (Wicklow, Fianna Fail) | Oireachtas source

I thank the Deputy very much for raising the question. We are acutely aware of the situation, particularly in counties Kerry and Cork, as the Deputy said. When it comes CAMHS, which has the most acute situations, the issue is not funding. The issue is recruitment. We have many teams all over the country. Many posts have been sanctioned, including psychiatry posts, and all the additional supports the psychiatrist needs.

The Deputy will see in the national service plan that we have put a very strong emphasis and prioritisation on CAMHS and other youth mental health services, not just on the most acute services. The Minister of State, Deputy Butler, and I are engaging directly and frequently with HSE senior management, critically, to make sure regarding the national director positions the Deputy referenced which, as the Deputy is aware, have been sanctioned, and assistant national director positions-----

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