Mark Ward (Dublin Mid West, Sinn Fein) | Oireachtas source

One of the glaring shortfalls in the child poverty and well-being programme office is the absence of a clear commitment to incorporate mental health in its stated remit. The number of children waiting on first-time appointments with child and adolescent mental health services, CAMHS, has increased by 112% under this Government's watch. Nationally, there is a record high of 4,513 children waiting for appointments with CAMHS. It is the first time the number has broken the 4,500 barrier. Of these young people, 747 have been waiting for more than a year. There are 72 beds in four inpatient CAMHS facilities, but only 51 of them are open. More than 15,000 children are waiting on primary care psychology appointments, with almost 6,000 waiting longer than a year. Jigsaw has 30-week waiting lists in some areas. No new resources were allocated in last year’s budget for early intervention in psychosis. Early intervention in psychosis is proven to reduce hospital admissions, relapses and crisis presentations. More than 700 children in mental health crisis presented to accident and emergency units last year.

At every stage, children are being failed by mental health services under the Government’s watch. We can all get bogged down in statistics, but behind each statistic I have set out is a young child with hopes, ambitions, dreams and a family. Under this Government, that child is being denied the opportunity to reach his or her full potential.

The impact of these delays on some children in poverty with intersectional needs can be catastrophic. People are understandably cynical about the new child poverty unit. Its work will be meaningless if it does not deliver for children measurably. How will the unit measure and monitor its targets and when will those targets be published?

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