Labour Party Health Spokesperson Marie Sherlock has called on the Health Service Executive to provide urgent reassurance to families following the publication of the review into North Kerry CAMHS (Child and Adolescent Mental Health Services).
Deputy Sherlock said the report paints a “harrowing” picture of serious governance failures, describing what she termed a “wild west” situation marked by a lack of oversight, poor accountability and, in some cases, deeply concerning clinical decision-making affecting children. She said the findings highlight non-existent systems and weak clinical governance that must now be addressed without delay.
While welcoming the extension of the regional review and the appointment of a Clinical Director in the Cork/Kerry region, Deputy Sherlock stressed that meaningful reform cannot happen without adequate staffing levels.
“It is simply unacceptable that there was not one full-time permanent psychiatrist on the ground in Kerry,” she said. “We cannot rely on individuals dialling in for sessional work. We must see full-time, on-the-ground psychiatrists providing essential one-to-one clinical support. You cannot build a safe service on sessional hours.”
Deputy Sherlock urged the Minister for Health to prioritise the immediate recruitment of full-time consultant psychiatrists and to ensure that a red-flag monitoring system is expedited to safeguard against any over-reliance on medication. She said strict clinical oversight and strengthened governance structures are essential to rebuilding trust in CAMHS services.
She also emphasised that anyone with concerns about the care they or their child received from CAMHS, anywhere in the country, must have clear access to an independent external review panel.
The North Kerry findings have intensified scrutiny of children’s mental health services nationally, with growing calls for transparency, accountability and sustained investment. Families across Ireland are now seeking assurance that lessons have been learned and that urgent action will follow.
At Don’t Leave Them Behind, we will continue to highlight the need for properly resourced, accountable mental health services — because children and young people must never be left behind.