Alan Dillon (Mayo, Fine Gael)
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701. To ask the Minister for Health the status of the implementation of the recommendations of the national youth mental health task force, in particular the youth mental health pathfinder project; if a pathfinder team is now in place; if so, the progress to date; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [8098/21]

Mary Butler (Waterford, Fianna Fail)
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The proposal to establish a cross-governmental youth mental health Pathfinder unit with participation from the Department of Health, the Department of Education and the Department of Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth received Ministerial approval during the previous Government. Its establishment is a priority in the current Programme for Government.

The proposal is to formalise a new model for collaborative working within Government and place a Pathfinder unit on a statutory footing by utilising section 12 of the Public Service Management Act 1997. This section of the 1997 Act has never been used before. Various administrative, budgetary, governance and legal arrangements need to be developed and agreed to ensure a robust and workable model for the Pathfinder unit.

The Department of Health has engaged extensively with the Department of Public Expenditure and Reform, and continues to do so, with the objective of agreeing an implementation option that fully addresses the above issues. The demands on both departments as a result of the Covid-19 pandemic have presented challenges to progressing the proposals.

Amongst other things, it is intended that the unit will help to advance some of the recommendations of the National Youth Mental Health Taskforce. PQ 7945/21 which the Deputy has also put down asks for an update on progress on all the recommendations of the Taskforce. As many of these are operational matters, I have referred that question to the HSE for direct reply.

Alan Dillon (Mayo, Fine Gael)
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702. To ask the Minister for Health if progress has been achieved in appointing a national lead for youth mental health; if there has been progress with appointing leads for youth mental health in each community health organisation; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [8099/21]

Mary Butler (Waterford, Fianna Fail)
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As this is a service matter I have asked the Health Service Executive to respond directly to the Deputy as soon as possible.