Mary Moran (Labour) | Oireachtas source

I add my voice of congratulations to Joan Burton and Alan Kelly on being elected leader and deputy leader, respectively, of the Labour Party last Friday evening. I find it fitting that the first woman leader of the Labour Party was elected on the same day that a women for election breakfast meeting took place at Iveagh House that was hosted by Deputy Eamon Gilmore and was one of his last functions as Tánaiste. I wish Deputy Gilmore well and I wish the new leader and deputy leader well. They are both able and capable politicians.

I wish to mention the recently published figures that reveal a substantial increase in the number of children and young people on the child and adolescent mental health services waiting list. I raised the issue of children, specifically children with an intellectual disability, accessing mental health services during Private Members' time last week. As of 31 March more than 3,000 children and young people await mental health referrals. We also have an unacceptable number of young people being admitted into adult psychiatric units as highlighted in the recent report by the inspectorate of mental health services.

We need an urgent debate on mental health services for children and young people. As I have said on numerous occasions, in my own area we do not have a child psychiatrist for children with intellectual disability. There are also huge problems assessing CAMHS even to accept them onto the list, which only takes people with a mild intellectual disability. Also, the service stops at 16 years regardless, even though it has been said that it continues until children are 17 years. We not only have an issue with waiting lists and admissions to adult units but also a serious issue with consistent treatment. I imagine that the consistency that exists will suffer as a result of the pressure being placed on the service due to the significant increase in the number of children on the CAMHS waiting list and awaiting referrals. When one compares the current figures with the same period last year, it shows an 11% increase in the number of children on waiting lists.