Mental Health Bill 2024: Committee Stage (Resumed)
Seanad Éireann — 2026-01-22
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Victor Boyhan (IND), Agricultural Panel

If I may come in, I will not repeat the same things I have been saying for the last three sessions. I have been asked to say this and people have raised it with me in a meeting earlier today. Due to the unavailability of CAMHS beds, which is a reality, children and young people in crisis may be left with the unacceptable choice of an adult inpatient unit. I am hearing that loud and clear. It is regrettable. It is the reality on the ground. That is what the Mental Health Commission and the public psychiatric services tell us, along with the private health services, GPs and psychiatrists. There is a new ambition to get the funding, get the CAMHS beds in place and all that. I also want to take the opportunity to acknowledge the very significant work that a former Senator, Joan Freeman, contributed to CAMHS. She was passionate about it and worked closely with the Minister of State. That is one of the realities. The Bill is going through as primary legislation. At the end of the day we, can have the best policies and legislation in place but if we do not have a highly resourced CAMHS facility with beds, inpatient and outpatient, children and young people will find themselves in this unacceptable situation. With the best will in the world, this will be the case unless we have the resources. I know the Department has increased resources. I echo what the Minister of State said earlier. She is in an unenviable position but she has been so long at this, and features in various reports. Indeed, Senator Rabbitte was mentioned in a report indirectly in respect of all this, and in a very positive light in both cases. I think that is where it is at. As well all the legislation, it is a matter of ambition that we will have the facilities for young people. The Minster of State spoke briefly about what we can expect in the new national children's hospital. There may be a role in that and it might be no harm echoing that again for the people who are listening to the debate. There is an end to this and that is an important point to make.

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Record URI: https://data.oireachtas.ie/akn/ie/debateRecord/seanad/2026-01-22/debate/main
Retrieved: 2026-08-14T04:54:32+00:00
Sitting date: 2026-01-22