'Crisis' of youth psychologist shortage met with 'deafening silence'

Dr Vincent McDarby said: "Government and HSE reports consistently acknowledge they have significant shortfalls of psychologists, but what we don’t have is engagement or planning with the professional body responsible for the training of psychologists about how to fix this issue."

A deficit of 98 psychologists in Child and Adolescent Mental Health Services (Camhs) compared to the recommended number 15 years ago has been described as a "crisis" by the sector's professional body.

The Psychological Society of Ireland (PSI) was responding to figures showing 92 psychologists in the service, compared to the 190 recommended in 2006 in the Vision for Change model of mental health service provision.