The South Belfast MLA stated: "I met departmental officials within the past few weeks to press for the commissioning of ADHD diagnosis and support services, but I recognise that at the moment Trusts are operating with one hand tied behind their back because they lack the adequate budget and political direction.

"Currently, services are based essentially on scraping together whatever support is available, with the added challenge of having to try to find some kind of pathway for many people who, understandably, have sought private diagnosis given the waiting times involved.

"Fundamentally, what we need is a commissioned service and, most of all, support for people who have clear traits of ADHD at whatever age. For that to happen, however, we need a health minister in place to provide the direction, a Health Committee in place to provide the scrutiny, and an Assembly in place to provide the budget.

"Yet again, we are seeing people requiring vital support, and indeed those trying to provide it, held up by an unwillingness to reform the system so that no one party can hold vital essential public services hostage in the manner we are currently seeing."