Sinn Féin Councillor Conor D. McGuinness has criticised the Fianna Fáil/Fine Gael/Green Party coalition over its out of control waiting lists for child and youth mental health services.
Figures obtained by McGuinness show that the amount of children and young people awaiting an initial consultation in the South East has more than doubled over the lifetime of this government.
He said that mental health minister Mary Butler must take responsibility and take urgent steps to address the crisis.
McGuinness said:
“Across the state 4,421 of our young people are waiting for appointments with CAMHS.
“When this government took office in 2020 that waiting list stood at 2,115. Under this government, there has been a 109% increase on the amount of young people waiting on vital mental health treatment.
“The figure for the South East is even more alarming. The waiting list increase in the CHO5 area, which includes Waterford, is even greater than the state-wide average and stands at 117%.
This means that the number of children and young people in the South East awaiting an initial appointment has increased from 153 to 332 in the three years that this Government gas been in power. 60 young people in the region are waiting for more than one year.
“Of the 4,421 children on waiting lists across the state 735 of these children have been waiting for over a year for CAMHS services which is a 209% increase since 2020.
“There have been numerous reports into CAMHS recently, which have shown the inefficiencies by both government and HSE. These have led to poorer mental health outcomes for our younger people. Each time Government tries to downplay and deflect rather than implementing the changes so badly needed. This has been a particular failure by the mental health minister and she needs to take responsibility.
“Sinn Féin has published a plan that will transform child and youth mental health services out of a state of crisis.
“Capital investment and accountability reforms are needed in the sector, along with planning for staff to meet the demands of the service.
“We have set out achievable policies, grounded in reality and based on evidence, to deliver the ambitious change that is needed.
“There is also a cliff-edge in our mental health services for young people at 18. There is inconsistent continuity of care, and many young people fall out of services or never access them.
“These failures mean that early intervention is passing our young people by.”
Conor D. McGuinness TD 