I thank the Deputy for raising the issue of ADHD and the pilot programme to which he referred. I engage consistently with Ken Kilbride of ADHD Ireland. It is important to note that approximately 35% to 40% of children who present to child and adolescent mental health services, CAMHS, do so with ADHD. We are open to looking at any of the pilot projects to see how well they are doing. It is important to note also that previously we did not have any ADHD teams for adults. ADHD does not stop at 18. We now have five tea…

I thank the Deputy for the question. As the Deputy knows, we have CAMHS teams throughout the country, and more than 820 people work in the service. During Covid-19 we saw unprecedented levels of extra referrals, up by 33%, but we have responded by seeing 21% more children than ever before. Last year, for example, 225,000 appointments were issued to young people in CAMHS. The Deputy spoke about a five-year wait for an assessment of need. There is no assessment of need for CAMHS; that wait must relate to disability. …

As the Deputy will be aware, the mental health budget for 2024 is €1.295 billion. It is the largest budget ever in the history of the State for mental health, an increase from €1.221 billion in 2023. As Deputy Ward quite rightly said, there are challenges with whole-time equivalents for clinical programmes for next year. Working with my team, I prioritised the funding I received for CAMHS and those aged under 18. I will be working closely with the new HSE youth mental health office and the new clinical lead. We wil…

You should read the HIQA report in relation to that nursing home.

I will never compromise on standards.

I will never compromise on standards when residents are not being treated properly.

I will never compromise on standards.

I will never compromise on standards, a Chathaoirleach Gníomhach.

The previous speaker mentioned a person by name who is not in a position to defend themselves in the House. I want that noted on the record. I think it is very unfair to name individuals. I want to thank everyone. I echo the opening remarks of my colleague the Minister, Deputy Stephen Donnelly, by thanking Members for their contributions to this important motion on the funding of our health service. There should be no doubt that investment in social care, mental health and older person services is a substantial pri…

The Deputy can ask me after this. Today I met Mr. Joseph Musgrave from Home and Community Care Ireland and we spoke about home support. The provision to the private sector at the moment is a core rate of €31 per hour, up to a maximum of €34 per hour. The service level agreement made with the HSE and the private sector involves the delivery of 30-minute and 60-minute sessions. There is no concept of 45-minute sessions. Notwithstanding these improvements, there is currently a funded waiting list of approximately 2,80…

I assume it is appropriate for me to answer on behalf of the Minister, Deputy Donnelly.

I welcome the opportunity to address the House on this important issue raised by the Deputies. The Government and the Minister are committed to the ongoing development of regional hospitals, such as Letterkenny University Hospital. Letterkenny is a large, busy hospital and the Government has allocated significant resources to meet the needs of patients using the hospital. There were more than 43,000 attendances at the emergency department in Letterkenny in 2022, an increase of 13% compared with 2019. There continue…

Following a meeting between the Minister and the HSE CEO last week, it has been agreed that the performance management and improvement unit is to travel to Letterkenny University Hospital this week. The Minister has offered to meet with representatives of GPs working in County Donegal in the coming weeks, and he also hopes to visit Donegal in the near future. Saolta has advised that it will continue to engage with consultants in Letterkenny University Hospital on an ongoing basis. Saolta management has recently wri…

Cork is very well represented here with four Deputies in the House. I thank them for their comments. In fairness to them, they have advocated for their constituents since the flooding happened last week. I also thank them for acknowledging that we have had similar situations in Clashmore, Tallow and Kinsalebeg in west Waterford. I visited houses last Friday. It is devastating to see the damage that has been caused. To try to answer the questions, in regard to the Glashaboy flood relief scheme, as Deputy O'Sullivan …

I thank the three Deputies. I join with them in thanking the emergency services and all those who stood up in the past week and helped so many businesses and families during what has been a most awful and devastating time. As the Deputies know, today the Government announced an emergency flood relief scheme to provide aid to businesses and community, voluntary and sporting bodies directly affected by the recent weather events in counties Cork, Waterford, Limerick, Louth and Kilkenny. A second enhanced scheme will a…

I thank Deputy Collins for raising this issue and for offering the opportunity to respond, in particular to provide an update on the threat of closures of early learning and childcare services on Thursday, 26 October. Following a meeting between the Minister, Deputy O’Gorman, and the Federation of Early Childhood Providers, FECP, on 18 October, the Minister has been notified that these closures will now not go ahead. He welcomes this development, given the impact closures have on children and their families. With S…

There has been extensive engagement with the FECP and the Department at ministerial and senior official levels in 2022 and 2023. The federation is represented on the early learning and child care stakeholder forum which met six times in 2022, and three times this year to date. The FECP also participated in the provider representative subgroup of the forum, which focused specifically on core funding in 2022. The subgroup met six times over summer 2022. Furthermore, a technical briefing was also facilitated by the De…

I thank Senator Flynn for raising this matter. I also thank her for all of the advocacy work she does on Traveller health and mental health. As the Senator will be aware, the National Traveller Health Action Plan 2022-2027 was launched in November 2022 and was informed by the results from the All-Ireland Traveller Health Study and other official reports, including the report of the Joint Committee on Key Issues Affecting the Traveller Community. The plan was developed following consultation with representatives of …

I thank the Senator. As she knows, there is a strategy for health for the Traveller community which includes the mental health strategy. To be fair, the €300,000 is in addition to the other money being provided. This €300,000 for budget 2024 will have agreed funding. The Traveller mental health working group has agreed on funding for one mental health community worker in each of the seven national Traveller health units. That is what the €300,000 is for. Recruitment is starting now. These posts will be based within…

I am taking this debate on behalf of the Minister for Health, Deputy Stephen Donnelly. I thank the Senator for the opportunity to address the issue of capacity in the HSE’s public dental service to provide care, particularly to children in primary school. The salaried HSE public dental service provides care to several groups of patients, including those with complex and additional needs. In addition, the public dental service also provides a programme which includes screening and necessary treatment for children at…