Local TD: 118 children in region waiting on first CAMHS appointment

118 children across the Shannonside region are currently waiting for a first-time appointment with Child and Adolescent Mental Health Services (CAMHS), reflecting a wider national increase.

Sinn Féin’s Mental Health Spokesperson, Sorca Clarke, says over 4,500 children are on waiting lists across Ireland, with more than 760 waiting over a year.

She says the number of children waiting nationally has more than doubled since 2020 - an increase of over 200%.

The Longford-Westmeath TD described the rise in waiting times as a disgrace and is demanding the government to act urgently to support children and families in the region and beyond.

Deputy Clarke called the situation a “betrayal of children’s right to mental health care.”