The Government is denying equal opportunities to those with mental health issues, according to the leader of Fianna Fáil.
Micheál Martin said more needs to be done to provide services for children waiting on a mental health assessment.
He also said Ministers in the Department of Health seem to be focused with getting away from, rather than trying to fix, the problem.
"They're listening to language like 'we're going to make a republic of opportunity'," he said.
"These families, these children and young people are being denied opportunities, have been denied opportunities and will continue to be denied opportunities until somebody politically takes responsibility, takes charge of this specific area in terms of child and adolescent mental health."