College of Psychiatrists of Ireland

Lobbying Organisation College of Psychiatrists of Ireland

Date published 20 May, 2022

Relevant Matter Public policy or programme

Public Policy Area Health

Period 1 Jan, 2022 to 30 Apr, 2022

Specific Details Letter Re Maskey Report into CAMHS Kerry outlining grave concerns around lack of governance at many management levels & lack of sufficient plans for recruitment & retention leading to no fully qualified specialist psychiatrist permanently in place. Concern that a narrow audit /review focussing on prescribing only is stigmatising & insufficient & that a broader national review particularly on governance at all levels is required.Request for a meeting with the Taoiseach and relevant Ministers.

Intended results Meeting with the Taoiseach, Minister Donnelly & Minister Butler to discuss the recommendations in the Maskey report and other actions urgently required. National Director for Mental Health be reinstated and a Clinical Lead for Children required. Publish the recruitment & retention analysis & solutions document for psychiatry in HSE. Increase insufficient funding for trainee psychiatrists from euro 1.3m to 1.9m which is the minimum amount needed - shortfall of euro 600,000. Urgently develop national parallel plans and campaigns with adequate funding and measurable deliverables for each of retention in and recruitment to CAMHS & other areas of Mental Health Services. Progress the published Workforce Planning document agreed & developed by the College with NDTP that outlines that 835 specialist psychiatrists are required by 2028 to serve the needs of Irish society for those with debilitating mental illness.

Name of person primarily responsible for lobbying on this activity Dr William Flannery, College President and Dr Imelda Whyte, Chair Faculty of Child & Adolescent Psychiatry.

Did any Designated Public Official(DPO) or former Designated Public Official(DPO) carry out lobbying activities on your behalf in relation to this return? You must include yourself, and answer Yes, if you are a current DPO or a DPO at any time in the past. (What is a Designated Public Official?) No

Did you manage or direct a grassroots campaign? No

Was this lobbying done on behalf of a client? No

Lobbying activity

The following activities occurred for this specific Subject Matter Area.

Letter (1)

Meeting (1)

As a result of the letter a meeting with Minister Butler was held in April.

Email (2-5)

The letter was also emailed to the Oireachtas Committee on Health An Tánaiste, HSE CEO Paul Reid, Minsters Butler and Donnelly.

Designated public officials lobbied

The following DPOs were lobbied during this return period on this specific Subject Matter Area. These DPOs were involved in at least one of the Lobbying Activities listed above, but not necessarily all of them. As returns are specific to a Subject Matter Area the above Lobbying Activities may be associated with multiple returns.

Micheál Martin An Taoiseach (Department of the Taoiseach)

Mary Butler Minister of State (Department of Health)

Stephen Donnelly Minister (Department of Health)

Leo Varadkar An Tánaiste (Dáil Éireann, the Oireachtas)