I propose to take Questions Nos. 847, 944 and 945 together.
A working group was established by the Minister for Health and Children in June 2000 to make recommendations on how child and adolescent psychiatric services should be developed in the short, medium and long-term to meet identified needs.
The first report of the working group on child and adolescent psychiatry was published in March 2001 and recommended the enhancement and expansion of the overall child and adolescent psychiatric service including the recruitment of additional consultant child and adolescent psychiatrists.
In furtherance of the group's recommendations, additional revenue funding of €6.061million was allocated in 2002 to provide for the appointment of additional consultants, for the enhancement of existing consultant-led multidisciplinary teams and towards the establishment of further teams. A further €1.64 million was allocated in 2003.
The first report also recommended that a total of seven child and adolescent in-patient psychiatric units for children ranging from six to 16 years should be developed throughout the country. Project teams have been established to develop child and adolescent in-patient psychiatric units in Cork, Limerick, Galway and one in the Eastern Regional Health Authority area – at St. Vincent's Hospital, Fairview.