Mary Butler (Waterford, Fianna Fail) | Oireachtas source

Approximately 90% of people with eating disorders are treated in the community. The best clinical advice that was available to me when I took up this role suggested that we should enhance the clinical supports in the communities because that would meet the needs of that 90%. We are undertaking a review of the model of care because when it was devised in 2018 with data from 2016 and 2017, it was estimated that there might be 60 people a year, whereas we are now reaching more than 500 people a year who have an eating disorder, which is a serious mental health illness.

A total of €2.2 million as a full-year cost is being provided for the new eating disorder teams. They are expensive to put in place. It amounts to €1.1 million as a half-year cost. It takes between 12 and 14 months to recruit the teams and put them in place.

To respond to Deputy Ward, again I prioritised the community. What we are considering in respect of eating disorder beds will form part of the review, but I am clear that there will have to be a geographical spread.

We have three beds in St. Vincent's hospital, which serve only that particular area. It is really important that when we put those facilities in place, there is a geographical spread. We want to ensure that whichever area people live in, they have access to a bed within an hour's travel.

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