Eugene Murphy (Fianna Fail) | Oireachtas source

I wish to briefly return to the issue of mental health and the report on the child and adolescent mental health services, CAMHS, situation, which came out earlier this week. I know that many politicians - including the Tánaiste and the Minister of State with responsibility for this area, Deputy Butler, who I think we will accept has done enormous work in this area – have expressed concern. While 39% of those needing the service had to wait 12 weeks or less, the reality of the issue of mental health is that we all should understand that nobody should have to wait. They should have the support there and then, when they need it. I think that is the goal we all have. Despite much investment and many changes over the past 20 years, we are still not in a satisfactory position. Some community healthcare organisation, CHO, areas are better than others. Our own CHO 2 area has improved significantly but we still do not have everything perfect. The e-mental health centre in Castlerea, which was a unique development, is working. However, there were difficulties in getting the full attainment of staff.

In that regard, I want to refer to something I brought up before. We should have an all-out campaign to attract people back from the National Health Service, NHS, in England. People say they do not want to come back. However, I know people who work for the NHS and have applied for jobs in the HSE. They are alleging that they did not get any response back. We should be making an all-out drive to bring back experienced Irish people in that system who want to come back. That should be included in the ongoing review of everything that is going on in this area. I know that the Minister for Health and the Minister for State, Deputy Butler, are both working hard on that. We all want results in this. We will never get the perfect system, but it is not satisfactory as it stands.