Patrick Nulty (Dublin West, Labour)
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To ask the Minister for Health when the new acute mental health admissions unit in Beaumont Hospital, Dublin will be operational; the reason for the delay; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [7474/13]

Kathleen Lynch (Cork North Central, Labour)
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As this is a service matter this question has been referred to the HSE for direct reply.

Richard Boyd Barrett (Dún Laoghaire, People Before Profit Alliance)
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To ask the Minister for Health if he has looked at proposed changes to 16 and 17 year olds being seen by Child and Adolescent Mental Health Services; if he is satisfied that this will have no detrimental impact on mental health services for children; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [56766/12]

Kathleen Lynch (Cork North Central, Labour)
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Child and Adolescent Mental Health Service (CAMHS) were traditionally provided to children aged 0 - 15 years, and care and treatment of 16 and 17 year olds was the responsibility of the adult service. However, A Vision for Change recommended that CAMHS should be provided for all up to the age of 18 years. The implementation of A Vision for Change is a work in progress and transitional arrangements apply as the current CAMHS service is expanded to facilitate the provision of services to 16 and 17 year olds.

Last year, the HSE finalised "Access Protocols for 16 and 17 year olds to Mental Health Services" which came into effect from 1 January this year. In an effort to ensure that children are treated in an age appropriate manner, the new protocol provides that from 1 January 2013, CAMHS will accept referrals of all new cases of children up to their 17th birthday, and from 1 January 2014 referrals will be accepted for all new cases up to age 18.

The changes now being implemented nationally have been designed to improve overall the provision of services for the age groups raised by the Deputy.