Darragh O'Brien (Fianna Fail) | Oireachtas source

I second the motion.

My colleague Senator MacSharry has covered many of the points. Members opposite should note we could have been far more critical when drawing up this motion. It allows, however, the Government to review some of the decisions with which we strongly disagree. While Senator MacSharry has addressed the issues concerning the Ballinasloe unit, the motion also covers St. Stephen’s Hospital, Glanmire and Carrig Mór mental health unit, Shanakiel and Toghermore, Tuam, and the speedy implementation of A Vision for Change.

We debated this matter last year. At the time, I put it to the Minister of State that putting one’s personal commitment aside, her office is failing in mental health service delivery. A Vision for Change sought 1,800 additional multidisciplinary staff to fully implement the policy. Despite these promises, in 2012 and 2013 the total number of staff by the end of December 2013 was five fewer than 2012 and 908 fewer than September 2009. If any Government Member argues we have sufficient resources in the mental health area, they must accept we do not.

Last week, I attended the funeral of a young man in north Dublin who died by suicide. The priest officiating deplored the lack of adult mental health services in north Dublin. I raised this with the Minister of State over 12 months ago and have continued to do so with the Minister, Deputy Reilly. The Department shut the Curam Clinic, Swords, which provided adult mental health services for the whole of north Dublin and shoe-horned it into the back of a health centre.

I will read the Minister of State a quote from the main clinical psychiatrist for the whole north Dublin region. This goes back to 11 April 2013, it is still not resolved and we have still not managed to meet the senior Minister. The clinical psychiatrist has been writing back and forth to the HSE and one of the e-mails states:

I have just been informed that the psychologist employed for the mental health team in Swords has been working in the primary care centre in Coolock for the past few weeks. This is because there is not enough space in the Swords health centre for her to work. Another unusual upturn is that some of the nurses in this mental health team [which, by the way, was held up in 2010 as an example for the rest of the country regarding how this team would work under Dr. Declan Murray] are now based in Balbriggan, 20 km away, a surprising eventuality as when Cuirim clinic was closed last October, they were assured there was plenty of space in the unit.

That is just one example. There is not the space that is required and nothing is being done about it.

When one looks at the numbers and the commitment to ring-fence €35 million, I would ask the Minister of State to enlighten us as to the pre-budget discussions, in particular her discussions and her submission, to try to retain the €35 million she and the Government promised would be ring-fenced for adult mental health services, €15 million of which is gone. While I am not questioning the Minister of State's personal commitment, I have to say this is a failure. It is a failure on her and her Department's behalf not to ensure this funding was not cut.

Let us consider the situation in the whole Dublin region in regard to adult mental health and early intervention for children, which is another matter that has been brought to the Dáil's attention. There is not one early intervention team in the whole Dublin area. Not one child has been added to a waiting list since June 2012. Does the Minister of State know the HSE is not adding to the waiting lists and will not even take applications for the waiting list? It is true. It will not add to them. Children cannot even get a transitional plan or an occupational therapy report, and all that is being done is that charities are paying for it to be done on a private basis.

This is an important debate to highlight the issues that exist. I ask Members to read the motion, which calls for something we have all agreed, namely, the swift implementation of A Vision for Change. It calls for proper resourcing of the mental health services. All it calls for in Ballinasloe and at St. Stephen's Hospital in Glanmire is for the Government to put a stay on the closure of those beds to allow a review to take place. That is all it calls for. I cannot understand why anyone in this House would vote against this motion. There is no reason to do so. Read it. It is not politically charged. It is stating facts and is putting forward a path to allow the Minister of State to say: "Let us hold off on this before we make a mistake. Let us review it."

If the Government moves ahead with the closure of these beds, we should remember what happened at St. Ita's in Portrane. When it had to be closed, the Government promised that 38 beds would be available in Beaumont but those 38 beds are not available. Last week, two people who presented for mental health beds in Beaumont Hospital waited for eight hours to be admitted and they left. The clinical psychologist in north County Dublin does not know where those two individuals are now. They waited for eight hours but there was nowhere for them to go.