Sinn Féin spokesperson on Mental Health, Mark Ward TD, has called on the incoming government to include the regulation of the Child and Adolescent Mental Health Services (CAMHS) in the programme for government.

Deputy Ward has called on the regulation of CAMHS to be prioritised within the first 100 days of the new government.

Teachta Ward said:

“Reports are emerging that a Programme for Government has essentially been agreed between Fianna Fáil, Fine Gael and some Independent TDs.

“This Programme for Government must include the regulation of CAMHS.

“The outgoing Fianna Fáil and Fine Gael government failed to prioritise our young people following multiple reviews and reports into CAMHS, which highlighted the need for regulation. They left CAMHS unregulated under the Mental Health Act 2001.

“The Mental Health Act 2001 is outdated, it has long been called for to be reformed and it seems like it was a false promise to do so in the last Programme for Government over four years ago.

“There are real life consequences to this not passing. CAMHS is still unregulated under the Mental Health Act 2001, and following the Maskey report and the Mental Health Commission’s review into CAMHS, the concern is that there still is no independent insight or regulation.

“The recommendations made by the Mental Health Commission were brought about because children were being misdiagnosed, over medicated, falling off that cliff edge at 18. We also have children with a dual diagnosis of autism and mental health, falling through the cracks.

“CAMHS needs to be a safe place for children to get help, and the vast majority of staff are working to the best of their ability.

“There are no guarantees to families and young people that issues highlighted in these reports will not happen again.

“I introduced legislation that would regulate CAMHS but the government kicked this down the road in favour of their own Bill which they failed to pass in time. Their gamble with young people’s mental health has not paid off, and young people will lose out as a result.

“I will be reintroducing my legislation to ensure that the new government does the right thing and that they do regulate CAMHS within their first 100 days.

“Young people and their families cannot wait any longer for this to happen. We now need a government that will finally do the right thing for young people’s mental health.”