Seán Sherlock (Cork East, Labour) | Oireachtas source

I accept the point made by the Senator, but I must be frank with the House. Economic history did not start in 2011. In terms of the allocation of resources, we were handed a deck of cards in 2011 and to be fair, with regard to this service, I will defend this Government. It has provided over €90 million in the last three budgets to support a reform programme. In respect of the roll-out of a more networked system of provision of services for young people, we are facing these challenges across the country. As a Government Minister I am facing the same problems in my area as the Senator is facing in her area. Only last week I had a meeting with some of the teams there to see how we can work through some of the problems.

There is no question that there is a deficit and a growing demand with regard to CAMHS. I openly acknowledge that, but we are doing our best to work on addressing these deficits within the economic constraints that exist. The economic constraints continue but I envisage that they will get better, because we have a Minister who is determined to ensure there is a specific silo, as it were, to provide for these services. While I acknowledge what the Senator has said, she must also acknowledge, if we are to be realistic and objective in any debate of this nature, the reasons that we are in this situation.