Mary Butler (Waterford, Fianna Fail) | Oireachtas source

I thank the Leas-Cheann Comhairle and from the outset I congratulate him on his recent election to Leas-Cheann Comhairle. It is great to see him in the Chair.

I thank the Deputy for her forbearance. Last Thursday I was not in a position to take the question. I thank her for agreeing to have the debate tonight.

I thank the Deputy for raising this important matter in the House this evening. While I cannot discuss the details of an individual case here, I acknowledge what the Deputy has told me and am sorry to hear about this experience. As Deputies will be aware, eating disorders occur in approximately 5% of the population and have long been recognised as one of the most severe of the mental health conditions. We also know that it disproportionately affects adolescents and women. While some people benefit from more intensive treatment through day programmes or inpatient care, research shows the most effective treatment setting is in the community, and this has been the area of focus for recent new investment in eating disorder services. Some 90% of people with an eating disorder are being treated in the community. Enhancements for specialist mental health services such as the national clinical programme for eating disorders is a key priority for myself as Minister of State, the Government as a whole and the HSE.

Dedicated investment in eating disorders continues. Last year, the HSE spent over €9 million on eating disorder services under the clinical programmes. It is factually incorrect to say that money is not being spent. The previous year the spend was €8 million. It is ring-fenced funding that has been built on, year on year. Approximately 100 posts are funded under the programme including ten consultant psychiatrists now treating people with eating disorders across the country. The national clinical programme is being implemented by multidisciplinary teams on a phased basis. There are now 11 teams in place, as the Deputy said, six adult teams and five child and adolescent mental health services, CAMHS, teams. Funding was secured for an additional two teams under budget 2025. I also secured the funding for the 14th team last year when there was an announcement of €10 million last February. This means that 14 of the 16 teams envisaged under the model of care are now funded. It takes about a year and a half to stand up a multidisciplinary team. I am delighted to say that one of them, a CAMHS team, is on the way to the mid-west, in Limerick. These are very specialised services.

To stand up the team takes some time. It has to be led by a consultant psychiatrist. That means we will have a new CAMHS eating disorder team for the mid-west, bringing the total number of eating disorder teams nationally to 14 out the 16 teams under the model of care. In addition, HSE data indicates that, as the national clinical programme is rolled out, fewer people are needing to access eating disorder services abroad via the treatment abroad scheme. For example, I understand from the HSE that no child under 18 has had to be sent to the UK for treatment of an eating disorder since 2019. We have four different inpatient facilities for eating disorders for those under 18, namely, Eist Linn in Cork, Merlin Park in Galway and Linn Dara and St. Vincent's in Dublin.

I am also aware the HSE funds patients in private facilities based on individual clinical need, as assessed by the local mental health team, and the prioritisation of available funding. I will address the beds in my supplementary reply.

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