The Irish Hospital Consultants' Association has said it is willing to work with Minister of State Tim O'Malley to improve mental health services despite his controversial comment about waiting lists.
After an hour long meeting with the Minister this evening, the association said an apology was neither sought nor given for the minister's controversial comment that long waiting lists made consultants feel powerful.
The comment was made during a Prime Time Investigates programme on mental health services last week.
Margot Wrigley, Chair of the Psychiatry Sub-Committee of the IHCA, said the meeting was used to outline the huge deficit in funding for mental health services and not to seek an apology from the Minister.
She said the situation was actually worse than the minister was aware and they outlined areas of concern such as as the number of fully functioning child and adolescent beds in the country which is five, and not 13 as previously stated.
The Minister was also told of a 'complete absence of services for those with intellectual disabilities' and concerns about the Insanity Act.
Dr Wrigley said the effect of the act was to move people out of prisons and into the psychiatric services area which was unable to cope.
She said the whole service could implode if resources are not provided to accommodate these patients.
The IHCA will meet again with the Minister in the new year to assess progress on a number of issues.
