Lorraine Higgins (Labour) | Oireachtas source

I raise the issue of the need for a dedicated eating disorder specialist unit. According to the Eating Disorder Association of Ireland, Bodywhys, up to 200,000 people in Ireland may be affected by eating disorders. An estimated 400 new cases occur each year and there are up to 80 related deaths annually. These illnesses affect women and men of all ages and from all walks of life. In light of these figures, it seems shocking to me that there is no dedicated eating disorder specialist unit in this country.

In 2006, A Vision for Change emphasised the need to establish a national centre for eating disorders. At the time it was proposed to be included in the new children's hospital. The report also recommended the development of four specialist multidisciplinary teams nationally to deal with eating disorders, one per HSE region, and the provision of 24 public eating disorder beds nationally. Nine years on from A Vision for Change, there is still no national centre for eating disorders nor have any specialised localised services been developed. Given the scale of the problem, why is this not being prioritised? It is clearly a big issue if 80 people are dying annually as a result of eating disorders.

Constituents to whom I have spoken and who work with those suffering from eating disorders or who have family members who suffer have made it clear to me how desperately the services are needed. I have raised the matter with the Minister of Health in the hope that movement can occur to get these services established for the benefit of the thousands of people affected as well as their families. We need a debate in this House because it is an issue of priority and we need to give it the time it deserves.