I thank both Deputies for raising this really important issue today. I recently met Comhairle na nÓg to update the group on my efforts to establish a new youth mental health service for Waterford and the south east. I will give a big shout-out to Theo Hannigan, Mollie Mernagh and Eve Meleady, the three amazing young people who presented me with a petition with a lot of signatures. They are great young people and great ambassadors for their three schools: St. Paul's Community College, the Friary in Dungarvan and my own alma mater, St. Declan's Community College in Kilmacthomas. Improving access to a range of youth mental health services is a priority for me, for the Department of Health and for the HSE. In recent weeks, I received a formal proposal from Jigsaw to establish a youth mental health service for Waterford and the south east. It is important to point out that Jigsaw changed its model of care in 2022, during the Covid pandemic. Its services to support young people now have 73% coverage across the country but 100% is covered online. I meet Dr. Joseph Duffy and his team regularly. Last year, we discussed moving back towards more physical structures but they are costly. I have also invited proposals from other relevant national organisations that might be interested in developing youth mental health services. For example, there is a fantastic service under Mental Health Ireland called Mindspace Mayo that provides very similar supports. Work to secure a suitable premises for this service has begun with the chief executive of Waterford City and County Council, whom I thank for his interactions with me. I have discussed the need for the service with the local HSE integrated health area manager, who is very supportive. I am evaluating all the options available to me as Minister of State as to how best to provide a youth mental health service in Waterford and other identified areas of the country where a service has yet to be established, such as Kildare, Clare, Cavan and Monaghan. I intend to secure funding for this new early intervention youth mental health service in the Estimates process for budget 2026. While CAMHS provides specialist supports for children, I am acutely aware that counselling supports are very important for young people, who deal with a lot of different issues including exam stress, anxiety, bullying and social media. The list is endless for many young people, especially for those young people in the LGBT+ community. Supports are vital. Young trans people can feel very isolated, alone and misunderstood. They face a great many challenges because they walk a different pathway in life. Counselling supports are vital. I want to compliment the great work of BeLonG To and ChillOUT, which are based at the Manor Youth Café in Waterford city every Sunday from 3 p.m. to 6 p.m. The programme for Government commits to ensuring a transgender healthcare service that is based on clinical evidence, respect, inclusiveness and compassion. I was happy to write that into the programme. I know the trans community very well. I am very proud to be the mother of a young trans man. I hope and pray that all Deputies can support this. I do not think it is too much to ask. Foróige also has to be commended on the fantastic supports it provides to young people based in Ferrybank, Tramore, Portlaw and Carrick-on-Suir, all of which enhance the life chances of ten- to 18-year-olds. They are all really important supports. I will come back in with regard to other funding I am providing this year.

Sentiment score: 0.38

I certainly will drive it on, and it is an area that has been identified as needing youth mental health supports. However, all areas of the county need youth mental health supports. Some 2% of young people will need the support of CAMHS but 98% of young people - about a third of them - will need counselling and low-level supports so they can deal with anxiety, depression and the challenges they have with body image and social media challenges. All of that is huge. There are a lot of parents in the Dáil who will understand how difficult it can be, having young teenagers and young adults as children. Approximately €110 million of the mental health budget this year is being provided to various community-based mental health organisations and NGOs, including Jigsaw. Jigsaw already receives more than €14 million from the HSE under a service level agreement to provide youth mental health services. I have reached out to other organisations as well, because I have to provide supports in a good few communities and I have to try to get value for money. It does not matter to me who delivers the service once we have a good service, fit for purpose, and where the clinical governance is in place. I have identified four areas, which are Waterford and the south east, the Clare area, the Kildare area and the Cavan-Monaghan area, which is really important. It is important that we acknowledge some of the supports that have come into the areas. As Minister of State, I introduced the model of care for our crisis resolution services. We now have a crisis resolution team operating in Waterford. It is currently working 9 to 5. I hope we will soon be moving to 3 to 11, Thursday to Monday, which is the model of care for crisis resolution teams. The most important thing with a crisis resolution team is that it is operational when other services are not there. We will also have a solace café opening very shortly in the city. That will be operated by Aware. It was previously known as a crisis cafe, but we changed the name. We know the café in Galway has reduced by 18% the number of people presenting to accident and emergency with mental health difficulties. I am fully committed to delivering this service for Waterford and I am happy to work with the Deputies.

Sentiment score: 0.09