Pringle: We can’t afford to wait on CAMHS regulation and reform
- Updated: 29th February 2024
Independent TD for Donegal, Thomas Pringle, has slammed the Government for delaying a second reading of a bill calling for the regulation of the Child and Adolescent Mental Health Services (CAMHS) and for reform of CAMHS.
Addressing the Dáil on Tuesday, Deputy Pringle said: “I fully support this legislation for the regulation of the Child and Adolescent Mental Health Services under the Mental Health Act, 2001 and for the reform of CAMHS as well. I’m extremely disappointed with the government’s amendment, which other speakers have outlined as well, to delay the second reading of this bill by nine months, which effectively is delaying it until after the election.”
The deputy said: “I know the government has said that they are currently drafting their own legislation to regulate community mental health services, including Child and Adolescent Mental Health Services, but given the urgency of this issue, I don’t think we can afford to wait. Action is needed and needed now. The immediate reform of CAMHS structures and independent regulation of CAMHS by the Mental Health Commission should be the government’s top priority.”
The deputy was speaking in support of the Sinn Féin bill, Mental Health (Amendment) Bill 2023.
Deputy Pringle said: “As we know, the Children’s Rights Alliance published its annual report card last week, which examined the government on promises and commitments made to children in Ireland. It is absolutely unacceptable to see an E grade for the third year in a row on children’s mental health. They were given such a low grade due to the “unacceptable” rise in waiting lists for CAMHS and the continued practice of admitting children to adult psychiatric units. Despite the government’s prior commitment to end the admission of children to adult psychiatric units, 12 children were admitted to adult units last year. While that is a reduction, it is still unacceptable that it’s continuing.
“It is a completely unacceptable practice and means that children aren’t getting the necessary care that they require. Figures for first-time appointments for CAMHS are rising exponentially, increasing past 4,400 in 2023. This cannot be allowed to continue, and it is clear that urgent action is needed before the crisis gets even more out of control. The State is failing children and will continue to fail even more if they don’t get a handle on this crisis soon.
“The unacceptable postcode lottery of care also continues to exist with certain counties receiving a far lower quality of care than others. This is particularly the case with rural counties. Last year, it was found that CHO1, which includes my constituency of Donegal, had the fifth-highest waiting list for CAMHS in the country, with a total of 367 young people on waiting lists,” he said.
The deputy said: “When a place has been secured, many families in Donegal are then faced with the issue of getting to these services. Consideration isn’t given for those who are unable to travel, and rural service users suffer because of this as well.”
He also raised the issue of Raphoe Diocesan Pastoral Services, the only provider of child and adolescent counselling services in the county, which announced earlier this year that lack of funding was forcing it to close its counselling service, and said: “We are already failing young people in this country in so many ways and to not provide an adequate mental health service will have a devastating impact on so many young lives.”
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