Joan Freeman (Independent) | Oireachtas source

I thank my fellow Senators for their support. I also want to refer to something that Senator Kelleher said when she spoke about child and adolescent mental health services, CAMHS. I agree with the Minister of State. The people who provide the services are the hardest working men and women imaginable. They are in the most difficult situations. They are as frustrated as the rest of us watching the children in the care. In fact, we got a very emotional email from a psychiatric nurse in the Waterford hospital last night. She finds this practice so distressing. This is why there is such a rate of burnout among our clinical staff. When we talk about CAMHS, we are talking about the people who make decisions for CAMHS at an administrative level and at policy level. They are the people I would criticise, not the people who work in the area.

One of the words Senator Feighan used was "uncomfortable". That reflects everybody in this country. Nobody likes to think about mental health. Sadly, previous governments have banked on that uncomfortableness, although I hope this Government will not, in order that nobody would look at what is really happening deep down in our society. Senator Mark Daly spoke about accountability. We already have protocols and procedures in the different clinical areas in hospitals and in the child and adolescent mental health services, CAMHS, units, but who is ensuring that they are carried out? This amendment will ensure that there is accountability.

In regard to Deputy James Browne's Bill, there are a couple of issues about which the Minister of State is absolutely incorrect. We do not overlap. I was also promised that this amendment would be a stand-alone measure, simply because we have to do something for these children right now.

I must make a couple of remarks on the wording which was mentioned. I have used the words "admission order". I was wrong to do that. What was intended was "admission". That means that children who are admitted to adult psychiatric units, not through an order but in general. Every child needs to have that safety, security and protocols in place.

Another point raised was that a child inpatient unit has not been defined in the Bill. I think we all know what that means, but I will amend this. In regard to the overlap between subsections (4)(b) and (4)(d), I note that the former requires that "the child’s environment is suitable having regard to their age and needs", while the latter also mentions age. We need to separate those, so that subsection (4)(b) refers to age and (4)(d) to gender. I absolutely concede that.

Returning to the issue of Deputy Browne's Bill, it is unfair not to let either one pass. I know that Deputy Browne's Bill has gone through the Dáil, and it is almost on Report Stage. We must not let that stop us from ensuring that there is a protocol for the HSE to follow when a child is admitted into an adult psychiatric unit. Deputy Browne's Bill does not cover that. He also talks about children being admitted through a court order. In carrying out my research over the last few weeks, I have been in contact with various CAMHS units. It is very rare for a child to be admitted into an adult psychiatric unit through a court order. We are talking about children who are admitted into adult psychiatric units in general.

I reiterate that what this Bill does is reflect the recommendations of the Mental Health Commission, which is connected to the HSE. We are not doing anything different or difficult. These measures have already been recommended. When the Minister of State is looking at Deputy Browne's Bill next week, I ask him not to let it cloud what this Bill is all about. I look forward to discussing this Bill with the Minister of State, and making those very slight changes to it, the following week.