Sinn Féin TD for Dublin South West Seán Crowe has urged all TDs to back a motion the party will bring forward in the Dáil this week to protect children’s mental health services.

The Private Member’s Bill will be debated in the Dáil on Tuesday evening and urges the government to address the growing crisis in mental health services for children and young people.

Teachta Crowe said:

“Sinn Féin will bring forward a motion in the Dáil to protect children’s mental health services. For far too long, mental health services for children and young people have been at crisis point and patients simply aren’t getting the timely, high-quality care that they deserve.

“Mental health services must receive adequate funding and resourcing to ensure that they are fit for purpose. It has been clear for some time now that mental health services in this country are scandalously over-stretched.

“Sinn Féin recently exposed through a parliamentary question that in the CHO7 that includes Dublin South West, almost 300 children are waiting for mental health treatment. This is scandalous. Children in Dublin South West deserve better.

“Sinn Féin’s motion would end this scandal by protecting mental health services for children and young people.

“Our motion calls on the government to tackle extreme waiting lists and clinical oversight deficiencies in child and adolescent health services. It demands that the government put in place a proactive strategy for the recruitment and retention of psychologists across CAMHS. It also calls for legislation to end the practice of placing children into adult psychiatric facilities.

“As has been exposed in Kerry CAMHS recently, there is not enough accountability for the delivery of mental health services and this must change.

“It is vital that lessons are learnt from this scandal and that action is taken now to support these families and ensure that they get justice.

“Our motion calls for the government to immediately put in place supports for the children and families affected by the malpractice in South Kerry CAMHS. It also demands that a review is conducted and published into the treatment of the South Kerry CAMHS whistleblower and the circumstances around his change in duties which led to his resignation from the service.

“I am calling for all TDs to support children’s mental health services and support Sinn Féin’s motion in the Dáil next week. The government must act now. There can be no more delays or excuses.”