Cavan Monaghan Sinn Féin TD, Matt Carthy, has accused the government of living in an ‘alternative reality’ as he hit out at the failure to deliver "adequate" Mental Health services for children and young people in Cavan and Monaghan. Last week Sinn Féin brought forward Dáil legislation that would regulate children’s mental health services and drive improvements and help tackle waiting lists. According to Deputy Carthy, Government TDs voted to delay the passage of the Sinn Féin legislation by nine months, a move which he has since described as a "cop-out."
Speaking in the Dáil, Deputy Carthy said; "Sometimes I feel that there are parallel realities - one that reflects the Minister’s remarks where you would think that Government has a handle on mental health services; and the other that is reflected to me and other Deputies by our constituents who are at the coalface of Government's failures in this regard. Those people are part of the growing numbers who are on waiting lists that have almost doubled since this Government came to office.
"I have dealt with families who have come to me, whose children are in dire distress, who are concerned and worried for their children's well-being, and the only advice that is given to them is to attend an emergency department in a hospital. There have been too many delays. There have been too many broken promises. Our children deserve better. They deserve the mental health services that will allow them to live full and meaningful lives."
