Mary Butler (Waterford, Fianna Fail)

I spoke at some length on Committee Stage about child admissions to adult units and do not propose to speak about the matter in great detail again but I would like to speak to the amendment. We do not need to put a time limit in primary legislation on how long a child can be admitted to an adult unit. The small number of child admissions that currently take place are done on an emergency basis and for as short a period as possible. I cannot accept a restriction on the length of an admission because there may be cases when it is not safe or in the child's best interest to move him or her within 72 hours after admission. We should work towards the elimination of the practice of child admissions to adult units at the level of service and policy, rather than through legislation. So far this year, two young people who gave consent and whose families consented were admitted to an adult ward.

On the Deputy's comment on underfunding of CAMHS, 51 CAMHS beds are fully staffed today and 15 of them are vacant.

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