Sinn Féin member of the Public Accounts Committee, Imelda Munster TD, today called upon the Committee to make a review of mental health services a top priority.

Deputy Munster requested that an urgent meeting be scheduled in the coming weeks to engage with the HSE on the matter.

Teachta Munster said:

“The harrowing reports from South Kerry Child and Adult Mental Health Services (CAMHS) have focused minds as to the failures within our mental health services.

“While politicians often speak to making mental health a priority, this has never translated into the delivery of frontline services of the needed quality and scale.

“It was highlighted at the Committee today that while the World Health Organisation recommends 12% of health funding be directed towards mental health services, in this state it is under 6%.

“In this context, we require significant investment in mental health services in a short period of time, but it is equally critical that these funds be invested in a manner that guarantees efficacy, delivering frontline services to those people who need them.

“Today at the Committee I highlighted that I feel that the Public Accounts Committee has a role to play in achieving this through examining the historical levels of investment and as to what has and has not been delivered.

“Mental Health should be a priority for government, and I intend to see it made a priority for the Committee.

“As such I will be pressing for a hearing to be held in the coming weeks.”