Dáil Éireann Debate, Thursday - 22 January 2026
122. Deputy Naoise Ó Cearúil asked the Minister for Health the way in which her Department currently engages with the Department of Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth in the areas where mental health and disability services intersect, to ensure coordinated and consistent support for individuals; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [4956/26]
Amharc ar fhreagraIt is a priority for me, and for Government, to ensure that children who need services can access them and access them on time. This is in line with our national mental health policy Sharing the Vision, our suicide reduction strategy Connecting for Life, and the HSE Annual Service Plan 2026.
Funding for mental health services has increased to nearly €1.6 billion in 2026. For context, year on year funding for mental health services has increased by over 5%, and funding since I took up this office has increased by over 51%. CAMHS nationally receives approximately €181 million annually, with a further €127 million provided to NGOs.
CAMHS is a secondary care specialist service for those aged up to 18 years, who have a moderate to severe mental health difficulty. Approximately 2% of the population require support from this specialist service with over 90% of mental health needs requiring treatment in a primary care setting. Where a child or adolescent presents with a moderate to severe mental health difficulty, regardless of whether they also have a disability, it is the role of CAMHS to provide appropriate multi-disciplinary assessment and treatment for the mental health difficulty. This may involve joint working or shared care with HSE Primary Care or Children’s Disability Network Teams (CDNT).
When information indicates that there is more than one HSE service that could best meet the child or adolescent’s needs, consultation should take place to determine which is the most appropriate service or whether a joint approach to assessment and intervention is indicated. In order to ensure a person-centred pathway to meet the needs of children with a complex disability and their families, the HSE and TUSLA have a Joint Working Protocol to promote best outcomes for children known to either or both agencies. Joint working and shared care with agencies supporting children and adolescents is essential and continues to be prioritised to further the best interests of every child.
New regional CAMHS ID teams are also being developed to ensure equitable access to mental health care for children with intellectual disabilities. These teams specialise in supporting children with moderate to profound intellectual disabilities who also meet criteria for mental health intervention. Regional CAMHS ID teams are designed to provide shared care in tandem with supports provided by local CDNTs.
Recognising that children with intellectual disabilities are in receipt of therapeutic input from their local disability team, regional CAMHS teams are being established as starter teams of 5 WTEs to achieve initial national coverage and begin to provide specialist mental health input into the care of children with intellectual disabilities who are also experiencing a moderate to severe mental health difficulty. I secured funding of €1.6 million under Budget 2026 for two new CAMHS ID teams and additional posts to enhance existing services. As CAMHS ID teams become fully operational, children should continue to access multidisciplinary disability support through their local CDNTs.
I established the National Office for Child and Youth Mental Health in the HSE to improve leadership and all aspects of care across youth mental health. The Office published its Youth Mental Health Action Plan in February last for comprehensive reform across all youth mental health services. The plan sets out a roadmap for the Department and HSE to ensure children and families have equitable and timely access to high-quality mental health care, including better links with Primary Care and Disability Services, and greater use of e-mental health responses. My aim is that services will be better connected and easier to navigate, with increased focus on the rights of young people and their families.
The development of a Single Point of Access (SPoA) for all child and youth mental health referrals in partnership with disabilities, primary care, and voluntary and statutory agencies is a key priority within the new Action Plan. The SPoA is being developed in response to challenges faced by families navigating multiple services, including duplication of referrals, inconsistent triage processes, and fragmented communication between services. Over the coming months, phased implementation will begin, with early adopter sites for 2026 identified and supported through targeted planning and resource coordination.
I will continue to work closely with my Ministerial colleagues and all stakeholders to ensure that all aspects of youth mental health care are improved over this year and beyond. In addition, the Department of Health will continue to liaise regularly with the Department of Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth on the matters raised by the Deputy, as will the HSE with its statutory counterparts in relation to enhancing relevant care provision for young people.
