Ms Orla Barry:

On ring-fencing, in effect the Government has ring-fenced €35 million per year for mental health services and the development of community mental health services.

No doubt, in terms of the quality of service, the development of the adult and child and adolescent community mental health teams is the key to a quality service in the future. In terms of ring-fencing, there is the commitment to €35 million, but unless there is a ring-fencing of those posts, ensuring they are protected, and the moratorium is loosened to ensure a protection around those posts, we will never get to where we need to be in terms of a quality community mental health service.