Mary Lou McDonald (Dublin Central, Sinn Fein) | Oireachtas source

There are 4,500 young people waiting for first-time child and adolescent mental health services, CAMHS, appointments. That is an increase of 112% since the Government took office. This is despite the number of children with medical referrals being refused by CAMHS having jumped by 12% in the same period. There are 11,000 children awaiting appointments for primary care psychology, more than 4,000 of whom have been waiting over a year. It is hard to fathom how child well-being could decline so radically under this Government if it is actually a whole-of-government priority. A survey was undertaken by the Disability Federation of Ireland within the community healthcare west area. One person who participated in this reported that their son was referred to primary care occupational therapy in October 2020 but still has not been seen. They were told last week that they will wait another two years. Another person whose preverbal five-and-a-half-year-old son was diagnosed with autism spectrum disorder, ASD, when he was three. He has never seen anyone in the public system. Cara Darmody was referred to earlier today. She is a 12-year-old child campaigner from Tipperary. She is here in Leinster House again today to raise issues on behalf of her brothers and the other thousands of children who continue to be failed. In what tangible way will this new unit address these catastrophic failures?

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