Dan Neville (Limerick West, Fine Gael)
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Question 199: To ask the Tánaiste and Minister for Health and Children the progress on the establishment of diagnostic attention deficit hyperactivity disorder centres located in different regions. [14706/06]

Dan Neville (Limerick West, Fine Gael)
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Question 200: To ask the Tánaiste and Minister for Health and Children if diagnostic centres will be provided for adults with attention deficit hyperactivity disorder as there is no adult service here and research has revealed that one third of children diagnosed with attention deficit hyperactivity disorder meet the criteria for adult diagnosis. [14707/06]

Dan Neville (Limerick West, Fine Gael)
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Question 201: To ask the Tánaiste and Minister for Health and Children if adult psychiatrists are available in each of the former health board regions who could take an interest in and develop expertise in the area of adult attention deficit hyperactivity disorder and undertake an outpatient clinic. [14708/06]

Dan Neville (Limerick West, Fine Gael)
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Question 202: To ask the Tánaiste and Minister for Health and Children if progress has been made in making available attention deficit hyperactivity disorder services for children and adults in each former health board area. [14709/06]

Dan Neville (Limerick West, Fine Gael)
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Question 203: To ask the Tánaiste and Minister for Health and Children if attention deficit hyperactivity disorder diagnostic services comprising of a multidisciplinary team of professionals, including psychiatrists, neurologists, paediatricians and educational psychologists, have been established. [14710/06]

Dan Neville (Limerick West, Fine Gael)
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Question 204: To ask the Tánaiste and Minister for Health and Children her plans for the provision of extensive treatment centres for children and adults with attention deficit hyperactivity disorder located in the different health board regions here. [14711/06]

Tim O'Malley (Limerick East, Progressive Democrats)
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I propose to answer Questions Nos. 199 to 204 inclusive, together.

The development of services for the management and treatment of attention deficit disorder-attention deficit hyperactivity disorder was considered by the working group on child and adolescent psychiatric services which reported in 2001. All aspects of the presentation, diagnosis, treatment and management of children suffering from ADD-ADHD were considered by the working group in the course of its deliberations. In its report, the group recommended the enhancement and expansion of the overall child and adolescent psychiatric services as the most effective means of providing the required service for children with ADD-ADHD.

This has been a priority for the Department in recent years. Since 1997, additional funding of in excess of €20 million has been provided to allow for the appointment of additional consultants in child and adolescent psychiatry, for the enhancement of existing consultant-led multidisciplinary teams and towards the establishment of further teams. This has resulted in the funding of a further 23 child and adolescent consultant psychiatrists. Nationally, there are now 56 such psychiatrists employed.

The future direction and delivery of all aspects of our mental health services, including services for children and adults with ADD-ADHD, was considered in the context of the work of the expert group on mental health policy. The Government published the group's report, A Vision for Change, on Tuesday, 24 January.

A Vision for Change contains wide-ranging recommendations for the further development of mental health services for both children and adults, including substantial increases in the numbers of consultant-led community mental health teams. These teams, when in place, will provide specialist care for all those with mental illness, including persons with ADD-ADHD. The Government has accepted the expert group's report as the basis for the future development of the mental health services.