Sorca Clarke (Longford-Westmeath, Sinn Fein)
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526. To ask the Minister for Health for a detailed breakdown in CAMHS waiting times per RHA, in tabular form; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [29308/26]

Mary Butler (Waterford, Fianna Fail)
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The Programme for Government makes several commitments relating to improving CAMHS, including providing additional resources to reduce waiting times for access to CAMHS.

As the Deputy will be aware, I visited 21 CAMHS teams nationwide last year to meet with the Regional Executive Officers (REOs) and their staff to focus on improvements to all aspects of Youth Mental Health care, including the specialist CAMHS service. I stressed the need to identify areas where increased activity is needed, and the potential for more innovative approaches to improve service delivery. I also highlighted the importance of filling all approved posts for each CAMHS team to ensure the most effective delivery of services.

I conveyed in my meeting with each Region that reducing waiting times for CAMHS is one of my main priorities as Minister for Mental Health. I subsequently wrote to each REO and to the Chief Executive Officer of the HSE following my visits seeking a plan to improve access to CAMHS services. While significant improvement has been made on many fronts to enhance CAMHS care, particularly in the face of increasing demand (referrals are up 70% since 2020) and case complexity, the issues of improved access and regional variation need to be addressed as early as possible. This is particularly the case in light of the significant additional funding I have secured for youth mental health over recent years, including under Budget 2026, and the emphasis I have placed on better outcomes for mental health in the recent Letter of Determination and under the agreed HSE Service Plan 2026. The objective of improving access to care, and of reducing waiting lists, are core elements of the three year HSE Child and Youth Mental Health Action Plan published in February 2025.

As of end February 2026, the waiting list for CAMHS nationally was 4,613, with 611 of these children waiting in excess of 12 months to access CAMHS. I acknowledge that the ringfenced waiting list reduction funding of €3 million supported activity in excess of the targeted 1,250 removals across the six Regions. While this is positive overall, there is evidence that the funding allocated could have better targeted the removal of children and young people waiting for extended periods in some Regions.

I therefore recently sought a detailed plan, inclusive of both national and regional targets, to reduce CAMHS waiting lists. I requested that this plan be reported on, at a minimum on a quarterly basis, by the HSE to the Department, and should reflect core CAMHS resourcing and all additional waiting list funding that has been provided in recent years. I expect to receive this plan from the HSE shortly, reflecting both national and regional approaches.

I, and the Government, fully appreciate the very significant improvements that have been made by all CAMHS staff over recent times and the real difference that this has made and will continue to make to many vulnerable children and their families.

I have referred this PQ to the HSE to reply directly to the Deputy in relation to the detailed operational information sought.