Sinn Fein’s motion on children’s mental health services is passed in the Dail

A motion tabled by Sinn Fein yesterday evening regarding children’s mental health services was passed in the Dail.

After the vote, the party called on the Government to put in place all the actions that the motion is calling for including the practice of placing children into inappropriate adult psychiatric wards.

Sinn Fein spokesperson for mental health, Mark Ward TD said: “The Government must not play politics with our children’s mental health.

“Our motion calling on the Government to protect children and fix children’s mental health services was passed last night in the Dail.

“This is welcome but comes with a Government warning.

“The Government have started to tactically not oppose oppositions motions so that they would not have to publicly vote on them. This is their way of avoiding political fallout.

“This tactic is shameful, and it is even more shameful when it comes to our children’s mental health. The public will not be so forgiving if they have pulled this stunt again last night.”

Deputy Ward says that the scandal which occured in the South Kerry CAMHS must be learned from and the children which have been affected by the malpractice should receive immediate help.

“The Sinn Féin motion called for a wide range of measures to improve children’s mental health care.

“The litmus test on whether the Government are playing politics with our children’s mental health will come when we discuss the pre-legislative scrutiny at the committee this month.

“One of the actions in our motion calls for is for the Government to legislate to stop the practice of admitting children into adult psychiatric wards.

“So far, the Government have refused to close the loophole that allows this draconian practice take place.

“In the last two years , over 50 children were inappropriately placed in adult facilities.

“This must stop and now that the Government have agreed our motion, we will find out soon if they used this political tactic to the detriment of our children’s health.”