I move amendment No. 277: In page 160, line 12, to delete “ ‘mental disorder’ ” and substitute “’mental health difficulties’”.

I would like to ask the Minister for his response to the recently published child poverty monitor report and his plans to address the rising number of children living in consistent poverty. The findings of that report make for very grim reading and should focus the minds of the Government on a major change in policymaking.

The stark and ever-worsening reality of child poverty is laid bare in the child poverty monitor and wider research. The Children's Rights Alliance has issued a stark warning that unless ambitious action is taken by the Government it will take Ireland four to five generations to break the cycle of poverty. The report found that the number of children living in consistent poverty rose by a staggering 45,107 in 2024 to almost 103,000 children. This reflects immense damage being inflicted on young lives with the potent…

I acknowledge the supports the Minister mentioned, but we have not seen sufficiently ambitious targeted measures and strategic investment in recent budgets designed to break the cycle of intergenerational poverty. It is critical, therefore, that there is a focus in budget 2026 on breaking that cycle. The cumulative impact of continued rising costs of living has created a landslide effect for low-income families such that the very basics, such as nutritious food and keeping their homes warm, become increasingly diff…

I echo Deputy Clarke's points. The Minister of State said last week that it was important not to tie the hands of psychiatrists in this regard because they often have to make very difficult decisions at critical times and may not have a bed available in a CAMHS inpatient unit. This is a valid concern for a psychiatrist in that particular context. What we are doing here, however, is legislating for the continued under-resourcing of essential CAMHS inpatient beds. If we go ahead with this, we will be reinforcing a si…

I move amendment No. 159: In page 70, line 19, to delete “a mental disorder” and substitute “mental health difficulties”.

I move amendment No. 160: In page 70, lines 25 and 26, to delete “mental disorder” and substitute “mental health difficulties”.

I move amendment No. 161: In page 70, line 31, to delete “mental disorder” and substitute “mental health difficulties”.

I move amendment No. 162: In page 70, line 33, to delete “a mental disorder” and substitute “mental health difficulties”.

I move amendment No. 163: In page 71, line 4, to delete “a mental disorder” and substitute “mental health difficulties”.

I move amendment No. 164: In page 71, line 17, to delete “a mental disorder” and substitute “mental health difficulties”.

I move amendment No. 166: In page 73, line 25, to delete “a mental disorder” and substitute “mental health difficulties”.

I move amendment No. 169: In page 78, line 3, to delete “a mental disorder” and substitute “mental health difficulties”.

I move amendment No. 174: In page 78, line 32, to delete “a mental disorder” and substitute “mental health difficulties”.

I move amendment No. 181: In page 79, line 18, to delete “a mental disorder” and substitute “mental health difficulties”.

I move amendment No. 183: In page 79, line 21, to delete “a mental disorder” and substitute “mental health difficulties”.

On a point of clarification, I am seeking the removal of section 83. Is that under consideration at the moment?

I welcome that the Minister of State is withdrawing the section and her words of caution around it. From my experience in working in mental health services, it is unheard of in recent times for ECT to be administered to young people. I received a reply to a parliamentary question in the past week which outlined its use in the past five years in Ireland. The youngest person who was administered ECT was 21. As far as I am aware and pretty much all my colleagues in mental health are aware, there is no clinical indicat…

I speak in support of amendments Nos. 211 and 212. Deputies McGuinness and Clarke made the point about having whole-time equivalent clinicians benchmarked and having that as a basic requirement that the Mental Health Commission adjudicates on for service provision. When the Mental Health Commission is doing an inspection and is writing a report, there is a whole litany of conditions that must be met by a service. Staff are extremely focused on meeting all of those requirements. More basic to all of that, however, i…

I move amendment No. 213: In page 112, line 37, to delete “consultant psychiatrist” and substitute “qualified mental health professional”.