Violet-Anne Wynne (Clare, Independent) | Oireachtas source

This is my second time, two days in a row, that I have raised the issue of CAMHS in County Clare in the House. Yesterday, I raised the issue of the significant deficit in staff. The Minister for Enterprise, Trade and Employment, Deputy Coveney, was unfortunately unable to give me a direct reply as to what aggressive recruitment strategy was being undertaken by this Government. Today, I am fed up. The Department of Health has under-profile spending of €22 million in the first quarter of 2023. Public underspending translates to underachievement. Meanwhile, we have 168 children and adolescents in the mid-west who are waiting more than a year to be seen by CAMHS. An independent review into CAMHS mid-west cases identified, in January this year, 140 children and young people who experienced delays in receiving follow-up care. That is atrocious.

The Government talks about the recruitment and retention crisis as though it is some external force and not in any way affected or influenced by the Government. Why can the underspend of €22 million in the past three months not go into training allowances or incentives to encourage graduates to work for CAMHS?

What is the plan in that regard?

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