Children and adolescents in the South Cork area are waiting up to three years for mental health services, Fine Gael Cork TD Deirdre Clune revealed after receiving new information from the HSE.

Deputy Clune called on Health Minister Mary Harney, the HSE and the Brothers of Charity, which runs the service, to re-allocate staff in order to reduce waiting times.

The HSE has confirmed that waiting times for mental health services for children and adolescents in the South Lee area range from 22 to 36 months. The Child & Adolescent Mental Health Service team for the area, run by the Brothers of Charity, is planning to review its lists to reduce the waiting time. But this is clearly not happening quickly enough.

It is totally unacceptable for any child to have three years of their education wasted by the State, while they wait for mental health support.

Previous experience has shown that early intervention in these cases yields benefits. Children and young people can participate in a more meaningful way in their education, and parents and children can be saved years of frustration waiting for services.

State investment in improving these services now will, in the long term, save taxpayers far more than initial costs. And this would also be a positive investment in the future.

The HSE and the Brothers of Charity have agreed to take on extra development posts which are not subject to the current public service employment embargo. These extra staff members should be taken on and deployed without any further delay.