Mental health campaign groups are demanding action on Ireland’s ‘understaffed and under-resourced’ child mental health services.

It comes after the Taoiseach announced a nationwide audit of the HSE’s Child and Adolescent Mental Health Services (CAMHS).

Micheál Martin announced the move after a report found that ‘significant harm’ was caused to 46 children at a South Kerry service between July 2016 and April 2021.

The report found that the care received by a total of 240 young people did not meet the standards which it should have".

Key problems identified in the report included “unreliable diagnoses, inappropriate prescriptions and poor monitoring of treatment and potential adverse effects”.

The children experienced including issues including weight gain, sedation, elevated blood pressure and galactorroea (the production of breast milk).

Mental Health Reform CEO Fiona Coyle told Newstalk that a lack of resources is a huge concern.

“Our CAMHS services are understaffed,” she said. “We have the figures to show that and we do need to ensure that all our services are fully staffed and fully operational.

“That relates to ensuring that individuals are receiving the quality of care they need and that individuals who need supports are not waiting on long waiting lists.”

She said the national audit must be independently led – warning that trust in CAMHS services around the country have been badly affected.

“It really needs to be looking at clinical oversight in services across the country to ensure that practice are being followed, that there are safeguarding measures in place and any kind of bad practices are unearthed at the earliest possible juncture,” she said.

“That they are resolved and that we understand the broader structural issues that may lead to issues such as this.”

The Taoiseach has said the audit will examine each of Ireland’s 72 CAMHS teams, with Government to decide what measure are needed based on the findings.