Mary Moran (Labour) | Oireachtas source

Will the Leader ask the Minister of State at the Department of Justice and Equality, Deputy Kathleen Lynch, to come back to the House to continue the debate on A Vision for Change and mental health services, in particular adolescent and youth mental health services? I have raised this issue continually since becoming a Member. In my first speech in the House almost three years ago I raised the question of children being placed in adult psychiatric units. It is totally unacceptable that 68 children were admitted to adult psychiatric units last year. While I recognise much work has been done and commend the Minister of State for what she has done, there is huge scope in this regard. Can we concentrate on the 16 to 18 year old age group, in particular? Some 2,500 children were waiting for an appointment with the adolescent mental health service. In my region, the north east, staffing levels in child and adolescent mental health services were only 61% compliant. There is a huge amount of work to be done. I refer, in particular, to the adolescent mental health service for children in the 16 to 18 year old group. This group is being left out. Last week a constituent contacted me about a 16 year old boy whom the paediatric service had refused to see because he was over 16 years of age, while the child and adolescent mental health service had stated it could not help because he was over 16 years and had an intellectual disability. The GP said this meant he would have to be sedated.

My question is whether we must sedate someone between 16 and 18 years of age until the person is old enough to have access to adult mental health services. I find this totally unacceptable and I call on the Leader to have an urgent debate on it.