Timmy Dooley (Fianna Fail) | Oireachtas source

I support my colleague's call for the intervention of the Minister to address what I believe to be a very serious issue around the Future of Media Commission, which includes public service broadcasting. The Minister was not slow about intervening with regard to the travel by members of the board of Bord Fáilte when, in the minds of some, they transgressed the restrictions at the time. It is really appropriate now, when one considers what is at stake, that this issue is addressed without delay.

I want to raise the issue of eating disorders. I call on the Leader to have the Minister of State, Deputy Mary Butler, come to the House at the earliest opportunity to discuss the difficulties that have arisen in that area. In 2018 there was a commitment in a plan published by the HSE to put in place specialist hubs nationwide, to be done over five years, offering specialist multidisciplinary teams of clinicians. Unfortunately, that commitment did not come to pass. Effectively, nothing happened. In fairness to the Minister of State, she is addressing the issue and has made commitments. I believe that we need a wider debate in the House on the whole issue of eating disorders. It creates and poses an intolerable burden on so many families. It is one of those issues that is addressed silently and does not come to the fore. It also places an intolerable cost burden on many families because the appropriately trained doctors are not available within the public health system. Many families beg, borrow and steal to get services in the private sector and some must travel outside the State to get access to specialist treatment. While I welcome the approach being taken by the Minister of State, Deputy Butler, I believe that wider society would benefit from a full, open and frank debate in this House about this silent killer that is associated with eating disorders.All the evidence shows that people get through it when appropriate intervention is taken at an early stage. They get to live their lives and recover. For those who do not have access to that specialist treatment, however, unfortunately, in many cases, it ends in death. I believe we owe it to all those concerned to address that issue.