Johnny Mythen (Wexford, Sinn Fein) | Oireachtas source

More than 180,000 people suffer with eating disorders and approximately 1,000 new cases occur each year. Evidence shows that people with eating disorders have the highest mortality rate of all mental health conditions. In my catchment area of Wexford, there is poor access to out-of-hours services to CAMHS liaison teams in the four general hospitals in CHO 5. In fact, therapy for eating disorders was not available in all teams. In some areas, liaison teams were not able to offer specific evidence-based treatment to young people with anorexia nervosa because there was insufficient appropriate trained staff available. It is proven that when eating disorder teams are in place, there is a positive outcome for all individuals involved. I ask the Tánaiste to provide funding for a full team recruited specifically for eating disorders, as per the model of care in CHO 5. Will he agree to set up a national eating disorder register that would provide factual data to support the future-proofing of services?

See this speech in context