I want to speak today about adult attention deficit hyperactivity disorder, ADHD, services in Laois and the reality of what is there right now. This service was introduced with clear demand but without proper planning or resources. That is where the problem is.

The service opened in 2024. The adult ADHD service has received close to 1,000 referrals, clearly demonstrating the scale of the need that exists there. Soon after the service opened, referrals for Laois and Offaly had to be paused due to the backlog. What we have now is a service that opened and almost immediately became inaccessible to new patients. That brings me to the key question here: why would a service be opened without the resources to sustain it?

What we see now is a total backlog, paused referrals and patients left waiting here. I have been informed that because this service opened without a proper base, clinicians are working in unsuitable conditions without reliable Internet, without proper phone access even and without dedicated clinical space. In some cases, they are relying on whatever room becomes available on the day. That is not how a healthcare service should operate.

While staff are doing their absolute best, they are being let down by the lack of infrastructure and long-term planning. Had we a plan in place in the first instance, we would not be where we are now.

The impact for patients is so real here. Adults are waiting to enter the system, many having struggled for years without diagnosis, now facing further delays with no clear timelines. This situation cannot continue.

When will referrals for Laois and Offaly reopen, what additional capacity will be put in place to deal with the backlog that is already there and, critically, when will this service be provided with a proper, fit-for-purpose base? It is important that we get this actioned now because these people are trying to hold down full-time jobs. It is an adult ADHD service. They are trying to go to work and live a normal life, but they are being left in limbo now for a service that should be fit for purpose.

I thank the Senator for raising this important issue. ADHD has long been recognised as one of the most common psychiatric disorders in children and it is now known to persist into adulthood. Core symptoms include inattention, hyperactivity and impulsivity. It can cause many issues in areas such as personal and social relations, education and occupation, managing money and organising life in general, and there is also an increased risk of having other mental health difficulties with it such as anxiety and depression.

Prior to the beginning of the national clinical programme, NCP, for adults with ADHD, which the Minister of State, Deputy Butler, launched in 2021, there were no specific ADHD public services available for adults in Ireland, but the national clinical programme for adults is now delivered as part of HSE mental health services to ensure an integrated person-centred response to adults with ADHD.

The programme includes both assessment and treatment of ADHD and works with relevant voluntary agencies. It envisages a national service of ADHD teams, with each team comprising a consultant psychiatrist, a senior psychologist, a senior occupational therapist, a clinical nurse specialist mental health and an administrator.

Adult ADHD teams have been substantially rolled out across the country, with eight teams now operational and the final three teams in recruitment, following the Minister of State, Deputy Butler, allocating funding in 2025 for the remaining teams to achieve this full national roll-out.

In County Laois, adult services are provided by the midlands, Kildare and west Wicklow team, known as Solas adult ADHD tertiary services. The team is based in St. Fintan's campus, Portlaoise. The team provides assessment and multidisciplinary interventions, including medication, psychological and other supports to adults presenting with diagnosed or suspected moderate or severe ADHD.

Outside of the team-based services, the national clinical programme has also worked to develop supports in collaboration with ADHD Ireland to improve awareness and promote early management of ADHD. These non-clinical resources include an app, which was developed by UCD, to offer evidence-based information, lifestyle strategies and signposting for adults with or exploring ADHD. There is also the UMAAP programme, which is a six-week programme run by ADHD Ireland that has proven highly beneficial and effective for adults who have completed it. I understand this is working very well.

These resources are not a substitute for a diagnosis or clinical care, but they represent a vital entry point for individuals seeking support. The final ADHD teams will be operational later this year, and there will be full national coverage of these services. This has been supported by the dedicated annual funding of over €5 million since 2021.

I appreciate the Minister of State taking this on behalf of the Minister with responsibility for mental health but this is not accurate. Laois is classed as one of the services that is technically operational, but it does not have a base. It talks here about St. Fintan's campus in Portlaoise. They can use that facility where they can go into a different room every time they are there, but they also have to go to Mountmellick. The staff in this ADHD clinic are telling me they do not have a base and it is not fit for purpose.

The biggest problem since the service opened in 2024 is that referrals were paused very soon after and have been paused now for a very long period. We cannot say this service is operational. Just because we see it on paper does not mean it is happening; it is not. Right now, you can get a referral to this service and you just sit there. Nothing happens because this service is not operational, it cannot take in new patients and it does not have a base to see the patients.

I thank the Senator again for highlighting this issue with my own neighbours of Laois. The Department, Minister of State, Deputy Butler, and the HSE acknowledge there are issues with wait times and access to services. The demand for adult ADHD services has been significantly higher than originally predicted, so they are seeing much more than they had thought.

We are now working to embed a tiered approach to services to efficiently tackle demand and improve access to services to better meet the needs of the service users. The HSE has prepared a draft amended model of care, incorporating this step care approach which is informed by engagement with the service users, families, clinicians and ADHD Ireland. This service model of care is currently under review through the establishment of the HSE governance process and will guide the next phase of services development nationally. I will get the Senator more information on that.

It has been deployed already by the new ADHD team based in Monaghan, acting as a pilot. That team is reporting shorter waiting times and improved management of demand. Enhancing specialist mental health services, such as ADHD, remains a key priority for the Minister of State, Deputy Butler, the Government and the HSE. Again, I thank the Senator for bringing this important issue forward. I will get her that information she is looking for.