Fears child psychiatric beds will not reopen by September

'It is essential that we have the capacity to meet the needs of vulnerable children and young people suffering from significant mental health difficulties as there may be nowhere else for them to go.'

Psychiatric nurses believe it is “unlikely” that 11 beds closed over a year ago in the country’s biggest inpatient child psychiatric unit will reopen by September.

It comes as HSE figures confirm that the beds remain shut, some 14 months after they were first closed due to staffing shortages.