A Kerry County Councillor is calling for emergency funding to be granted for the Child and Adolescent Mental Health Service (CAMHS).
Fianna Fáil councillor Fionnán Fitzgerald is calling on Kerry County Council to contact Minister for Health Stephen Donnelly and request the funding.
He brought the motion before the monthly meeting of the council.
Cllr Fionnán Fitzgerald says CAMHS is understaffed and can't cope with the surge in calls from young people and their families, who are really struggling with isolation.
He says lockdown three has put huge pressure on young people and they have now missed almost a year of socialising and playing sports.
He says young people are now resigned to sitting indoors on a screen for interaction with friends and for learning, adding this is taking a massive toll on them.
Cllr Fitzgerald told the meeting that through his work as a teacher, he sees many people struggling.
The Fianna Fáil councillor acknowledged that the Minister for Mental Health and Older People Mary Butler had recently announced funding for mental health services.
However, he feels emergency funding needs to be granted, stating he is concerned about the young people who are suffering silently and are afraid to put their hands up for help to seek help.
