Joan Freeman (Independent) | Oireachtas source

I thank the Minister of State and all those Senators who took part in today's debate. I again thank those who co-sponsored the Bill, Senators Craughwell and Marie-Louise O'Donnell, as well as Senator Boyhan who seconded the Bill today.

I have five minutes, but there is so much I want to say. There are a few really important things we need to understand. In 2012 we had an historic referendum when for the first time our children, who had endured a legacy of mistreatment and neglect, witnessed a change in the Constitution to protect them and recognise their voices. I hope the House will indulge me for a moment while I briefly read the first line from Article 42A, which states: "The State recognises and affirms the natural and imprescriptible rights of all children and shall, as far as practicable, by its laws protect and vindicate those rights."

We must continually ask our representatives whether the services the Government provides protect and vindicate the rights of our children. We must always ask if we are doing everything in our power to provide adequate services. Most of all, we must never look back if an emergency situation develops and wonder what we could have done better.Most of all, we must never look back. What if an emergency situation develops and we wonder what we could have done better? I have asked those questions of CAMHS and the HSE and I feel that we have not yet done all that is practicable to offer the highest standard of mental health treatment for our children. I hope that, in introducing this amendment, we can look downstream at the reasons these children end up in adult units. It is the "Why" that is most important in recognising the shortcomings and creating safeguards to stop these admissions.

I remind the House of some of the stark realities of our existing services. Ireland has the fourth highest suicide rate among our adolescents. Does the House know that 16 to 18 year olds do not exist in Ireland? The services for 16 to 18 year olds do not exist. There are 55 whole-time consultant child psychiatrists in this country. We have a population of well over 1.2 million children and we have 55 consultant child psychiatrists. What if they are out sick, on maternity leave or on holidays? Nobody sees those children. We have four inpatient units in Ireland for a population of 1.2 million children, and most of them are not working. Today only 44 beds are available. There are no out-of-hours emergency services which is why children end up in adult accident and emergency services.

I am looking forward to working with the Minister of State and I will work tirelessly. I will work all through the summer to help get to the Third Stage of this Bill. If we can work with the HSE to address these shortcomings, the necessity for the Bill will be rendered void. I hope that the Bill will focus all our minds on the needs of the child and his or her parents from the very first moment that they look to the State for assistance.

It has been said that Ireland is a good place to grow old in. Some have said that Ireland is a good place to grow up in. Sadly, for those vulnerable children who struggle with mental health issues it is not. However, today this is a small step and I hope it is the beginning of a process which will ensure that Ireland is a place where children can grow, develop and deliver on their full potential. An old Irish saying sprung to mind earlier today. Nourish the young and they will prosper; neglect them and they will fall. I hope that this Government and the Minister of State will begin to nourish.