The HSE has confirmed that a new consultant psychiatrist has been appointed to the Child and Mental Health Services in the North West.
It follows outrage by local parents of young people who use these services and say that they simply cannot get an appointment due to the backlog and the overriding issue of a vacant psychiatrist post.
The HSE admits there has been difficulty in recent months in the Sligo/Leitrim area recruiting a full time consultant psychiatrist for young people with mental health issues.
In a statement today however, the HSE has confirmed that they have managed to fill the role from this week on a 20 hour per week basis.
This Consultant will direct the wider CAMHS team and focus on 87 vulnerable people that the HSE has identified as a priority.
This list is being monitored on a weekly basis.
The HSE says the problem is not down to a shortage of funding but to a shortage of such consultants nationwide.
It says that work is continuing to fill the relevant posts in the Sligo Leitrim area on a full-time basis.
