SPECIAL COMMITTEE TO EXAMINE THE ISSUE OF ASSISTED DYING

In July of 2021 the Dáil’s Justice Committee recommended that a special Oireachtas committee should examine the topic of assisted dying following the scrutiny of the Dying with Dignity Bill put forward by Gino Kenny TD in 2020. After much delay, the special committee will now be established in February and run for a period of nine months. The committee will then make its recommendations to the government by the end of this year. Consistent opinion polls have indicated that a clear majority would support a change in legislation. As a member of the committee, I look forward to this very important national discussion in the year ahead.

CHILD AND ADOLESCENT MENTAL HEALTH SERVICES (CAMHS)

Gino Kenny TD has called for an independent report into CAMHS and a five-fold increase in funding for the service after a report by the Mental Health Commission was released which has highlighted significant deficits in the service.

The report has found that the service is seriously understaffed and underfunded. It has also found that there is a lack of mental health services at a primary care level and that waiting lists for CAMHS have almost doubled since July 2020, with the number of children waiting for over a year increasing from 216 in June 2020 to 579 in November 2022.

The overall mental health budget is only 5% of the health budget compared to the 12% recommended by the World Health Organisation. CAMHS receives just 10% of the overall mental health budget, which is already far too low.

A five-fold increase in funding is vital to ensure safe staffing levels and expand the service to meet the needs of children in the state.