Mr. Jim Ryan:

We fully respect the view of the independent regulator. Our role is to ensure that the resources and services which we provide are appropriate to the needs of the population that we serve. Looking at recent years, our budget has increased and there has been an increase in service. This year we will open a new unit in Sligo. We have refurbished units in Limerick and Tralee, and there are new units in Cork and Drogheda. The national forensic service will be completed by the end of the year. There has been quite significant investment in the infrastructure. That most certainly is not to say that there is not a need for more. I fully agree that there is always a need for more resources in mental health, but working within the resources that we have and trying to make the maximum use of them, as well as of the staff we have, who are highly trained and committed, as we saw in recent months. Our role is to make the very best use of the resources that we have in the circumstances in which we find ourselves. We look forward to Sharing the Vision, the new national policy, which builds on the very successful A Vision for Change from 2006, to drive that investment into the future.