Máire Devine (Sinn Fein) | Oireachtas source

This is happening quite frequently. This matter relates to the closure over the last couple of weeks of 50% of the beds at the Linn Dara unit in Cherry Orchard. The engagement, thus far, by the Minister of State, Deputy McEntee, in this regard has been poor. Owing to the closure of these beds children who would have been inpatients at Linn Dara were left queuing last weekend at accident and emergency departments, some of them for 24 hours and at great risk. While some of these children are being released to the loving embrace of their families, other children are not. There are 20 children on the waiting list, which has also been culled.We also have been left with half of the staff. It has been alleged that staffing issues caused the closure and there have been warnings about staffing shortages for a long time, particularly the shortage of psychiatric nurses.

I am outraged by the closure of the facility. The parents and children are desperate for help. We know the reality due to the publication yesterday of a report on the services available to children, the publication this morning of a report on children's mental health services by the Seanad Public Consultation Committee and from the public writing to us beseeching us to do something about access for children. We have failed them miserably and we continue to fail them every day. Numerous reports have been published and some action has been taken but what we need has been ignored. We need a robust 24-7 service for children in need.

I want the Minister of State, Deputy McEntee, to up the ante and engage with the Psychiatric Nurses Association, PNA. The association, of which I am a member, has solutions that it gave to the Minister of State but they have been completely ignored and not acted upon. Action is much more than kicking something into touch, undertaking reviews and waiting for recommendations to be implemented, which has gone on forever. We just need some action. I urge the Minister of State present to convey my comments to the Minister of State, Deputy McEntee, and ask her to re-engage with the PNA.