There has been a 158% rise in the number of children in Kerry awaiting psychological treatment.
Figures from the HSE provided to Sinn Féin TD Pa Daly, show over 900 children in the county are on the waiting list.
The figures released in response to a parliamentary question by Sinn Féin TD, Pa Daly, show 984 patients in Kerry, aged 17 and under are awaiting psychological treatment.
This represents an increase of 158% when compared with 2022, when 381 children were on the primary care waiting list.
This rose by 15% in a year to 2023, when 440 children aged 17 and under were waiting to be seen.
688 children in Kerry were awaiting psychological treatment last year, which increased by 43% year-on-year to 2025.
The figures also show that there are 88 patients in Kerry on the waiting list for mental health services.
Meanwhile, in 2022 one patient aged 18-64 was awaiting psychological treatment.
Deputy Daly has described the data as absolutely staggering, however he says it's not surprising given the state of mental health services in the county.
The Sinn Féin TD says it’s a crisis and is calling on the government to urgently address the waiting list.
The HSE says it’s regrettable there is currently a long waiting list to access individual psychology intervention.
It says this is due to both an increase in service demands and a lack of staffing resources.
