Naoise Ó Muirí (Dublin Bay North, Fine Gael)

I thank the Minister of State for the update. As she said, it is a complex area. The disease has been misunderstood for years. It affects girls and young women, in particular, in difficult circumstances. We regularly get the opportunity to attend briefings. I attended the Cared Ireland briefing, which was really powerful. It included testimonies from people who have suffered from eating disorders in the past, ongoing sufferers and family members. Everybody here probably has a family member or friend who is suffering or has suffered from an eating disorder.

The statistics the Minister of State set out, the 562 people receiving treatment, speak for themselves. That is the volume of cases.

The Minister of State said she hopes to receive a report on the phase 1 review by the end of June. That will probably involve beds with a regional distribution. I will come back in again.

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