230 children on mental health waiting lists in west Dublin

Over 230 children in west Dublin are waiting for mental health appointments according to figures recently released by the Government.

Overall, 237 children are on a waiting list for an appointment which Sinn Fein TD Paul Donnelly says is an “unacceptable” number.

“Figures received by my party colleague, Mairéad Farrell TD, reveal that there is a substantial increase in young people waiting for mental health services in 2022,” he said,

“Over 237 children are waiting on appointments for CAMHS in Dublin West, this is an increase on figures we received for 2021.”

In Dublin 15 and the surrounding areas 89 children have been on waiting lists for less than 12 weeks, while 64 having been waiting between 12 and 26 weeks and 50 have been waiting for between 26 and 39 weeks.

Additionally, 24 children have been waiting for an appointment for between 39 and 52 weeks and 10 children have been waiting for more than a year.

In December 2021, figures released by HSE showed that no children were waiting for more than 52 weeks for a mental health appointment.

“Early intervention is critical to reaching an improved outcome,” Deputy Donnelly says.

“More and more of our young people are not receiving this timely care and there is an increase in the amount of young people presenting to CAHMS for treatment and the amount of time they are waiting on an appointment.

“These long waits are totally unacceptable. Children and young people in Dublin West deserve better.”

Deputy Donnelly says the system needs to be re-structured so those who need urgent care receive it.

“We need to move away from the postcode lottery for services,” he says.

“Treatment should be based on need, not on where you live.

“We are at crisis point now for young people’s mental health.

“The government is failing to address this very serious situation.

“These services are nothing without their staff and I want to commend the invaluable work that they do in our local communities under huge pressure.

“However, they are being let down by the government’s failure to recruit and retain staff, which in turn adds to this increase in waiting lists.”

“Sinn Féin in government would prioritise our young people. We would prioritise early intervention in their mental health care.

“The government must act now and end this scandal.

“Young people cannot be expected to pay the price for government failure to plan and adequately resource these crucial health services.”