Taoiseach Micheál Martin says ‘lessons have to be learnt’ following CAMHS review

7th April 2022

Taoiseach Micheál Martin has said “huge lessons have to be learnt” following the recent review of the care of children who attended the HSE-run South Kerry Child and Adolescent Mental Health Services (CAMHS).

He said there had to be urgent engagement with the parents, and the families of those children, and making sure that services are provided to those children and young people.

Two weeks ago, the HSE admitted 46 children had suffered “significant harm” while patients at the mental health service, but the Sunday Independent reported it has yet to inform the families who they are. 

Mr Martin was asked on RTÉ’s This Week programme, should they be told. “Of course they should be told, and there should be full open engagement with all of the parents,” he said.

Meanwhile, in relation to a compensation scheme being put in place, he said: “We are working, both the HSE, State Claims Agency and the Attorney General are working – I would prefer a mediation process.

“This has to be worked out, a non-adversarial mediation process involving engagement with the representatives of the families and the children who were harmed, with the State side, to mediate appropriately on this, and to avoid any litigation if possible. Now it is always there for people if they want to go to the courts, but I think from our perspective, we want to do this in a non-adversarial way.

Mr Martin added: “There is more work being done now in terms of an audit around the prescription policies that were applied. So obviously, there is more work to be done there. We have to create a mechanism that is non adversarial. We will do that. Some people may want to choose other routes, that’s always there.

He said the issue around securing senior clinical personnel is some CAHMS areas has been an ongoing issue.