Camhs appointment delays in Cork and Kerry ‘shocking’, says TD 

More than 1,000 children were waiting for Child and Adolescent Mental Health Services (Camhs) appointments in the Cork and Kerry area as of the end of November — with almost one third waiting for over a year.

Nationally, just over 60% of all children waiting more than a year for Camhs live in the HSE’s CH04 area — which covers Cork and Kerry.

The most recent figures were released by the HSE in response to a parliamentary question from Sinn Féin TD for Cork North Central, Thomas Gould.

They show that, at the end of November 2024, there were 1,003 children waiting in Cork and Kerry, of whom 332 were waiting for more than 12 months. Mr Gould has described the figures as “shocking”, saying no child should have to wait for longer than a year for mental health intervention.

Some 205 children in the CH04 area had been waiting for appointments for up to 12 weeks, 163 for more than 12 weeks, 152 for more than 26 weeks, and 151 for more than 39 weeks.

Nationally, there were 3,833 children waiting for Camhs appointments as of the end of November.

Of these, 546 had been waiting over 12 months. Of those children waiting for more than 12 months, 61% were in the Cork and Kerry region.

Across the country, some 1,555 children had been waiting for up to 12 weeks, 785 for more than 12 weeks, 591 for more than 26 weeks, and 356 for more than 39 weeks.

Struggling

Mr Gould said: “Hundreds of children sit on the waiting list in Cork and Kerry, likely struggling and with their mental health deteriorating.”

“No child should have to wait longer than 12 months for mental health intervention.”

“I am disgusted that this has been allowed to escalate to this level and that, while waiting lists have reduced in other areas, they have continued to increase in Cork and Kerry, ” he said.

The Northside TD said it was clear that there is a crisis in Camhs across Cork and Kerry.

“I am seeing it from my office. Parents are at their wits end.

“They are watching their children struggle with no support, and spending their childhoods on waiting lists.

“The most vulnerable children in this State are let down time and again by Fianna Fáil and Fine Gael,” Mr Gould said.

“I am sick and tired of children’s mental health being left at the bottom of the pecking order.

“I am sick of children being made more vulnerable, with long-lasting consequences, because of a failure to properly resource state services,” the Sinn Féín TD added.