CAMHS bed reductions
Deputy Bríd Smith raised the reduction in operational beds at Linn Dara CAMHS and called for urgent action on adolescent mental health services. The Minister acknowledged the seriousness, pointed to increased funding for mental health, and asked her to bring the letter to Cabinet attention.
The programme for Government makes a serious commitment to improve mental health services for young people and adolescents. A shocking letter was sent yesterday by the Psychiatric Nurses Association to the Minister of State, Deputy Jim Daly, which shows that the number of operational beds in the Linn Dara child and adolescent mental health services, CAMHS, unit in Cherry Orchard has been reduced to 13 from 24. For the past two years we have been protesting both here in the House and outside the hospital about the lack of services for adolescents with serious mental illnesses.
We only saw yesterday reports of cyberbullying incidents that resulted in suicide and shockingly an increase in the level of suicide among young women. A society should be measured by how it treats its most vulnerable. This is an indictment of the Government. Despite the programme for Government commitment to young people and mental health, the Minister should look at the state of our services. What future do young people who are vulnerable have to look forward to if the Cabinet cannot sort it out? I ask the Minister to bring this to Cabinet as an issue for urgent consideration because we cannot continue to have half of good units shut down and made inaccessible to young people.
Comment on this
I acknowledge the seriousness of the issue. Just before this session, during Question Time to the Minister for Justice and Equality, we had the opportunity to deal with the issue of cyberbullying and the adverse consequences on citizens' mental health. I am taking a legislative proposal in that regard. I acknowledge the work of Deputy Howlin, in particular, on this issue.
An additional €84 million will be provided for mental health services next year, bringing the total available funding for mental health to in excess of €1 billion. This is an increase of the order of 9%. I assure the Deputy that the Minister of State, Deputy Jim Daly, is engaging with stakeholders throughout the country to ensure that every effort is made to maximise the efforts on the part of Government to deal with what is a growing and difficult challenge across society.
Comment on this
I ask the Minister please to read that letter and bring it to the attention of Cabinet. It is quite shocking.