Sinn Féin TD Mark Ward has criticised the suspension of psychology services in the Dublin Mid-West constituency due to staff vacancies.
Ward was speaking after receiving a response from the HSE about waiting times for a constituent.
Ward said the situation is “simply not good enough.”
“This primary care service covers Clondalkin, Lucan, Palmerstown and Ballyfermot; this is a huge area that is being affected,” he warned.
Primary care psychology provides services for people who are experiencing emotional or behavioural difficulties or mild to moderate mental health difficulties.
“I am regularly contacted by parents whose children are waiting to be seen for psychology service; last year, I raised the 4-year wait that children were facing for such an important service. To hear now that the service has been suspended until vacancies are filled is unacceptable,” he said.
“I have been raising the ever-increasing waiting list for Child and Adolescent Mental Health Services since my time being elected; when the government fails to invest in our primary mental health services for our young people, the need for more secondary services like CAMHS increases.”
Ward remarked, “it’s not rocket science, but Fianna Fáil and Fine Gael are getting this very basic aspect badly wrong, and children right across the state are paying the price.”
“I have written to the HSE asking for them to outline what alternative supports are available to children waiting for the now suspended psychology service.
“I am calling on the government to fully staff our primary care teams and for services like psychology to resume,” Ward said.