Oireachtas Joint and Select Committees

Thursday, 5 February 2015

Committee on Health and Children: Select Sub-Committee on Health

Estimates for Public Services 2015
Vote 38 - Health (Revised)

10:30 am

Photo of Dan NevilleDan Neville (Limerick, Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

There has been considerable investment in the development of the mental health services under the programme for Government, amounting to €130 million extra over four years. There was, however, also a lot of frustration at the HSE’s delay in implementing the programmes. The recruitment is often not commenced until March or April of the year allocated. By the end of the year very little of the planned recruitment takes place. How many mental health professionals should have been recruited under the programme up to 31 January last and how many were recruited? Most of those were to go into the community-based mental health services which were a key part of the Government’s plan, which are urgently required and are very welcome.

The investment took place out of the contribution to the child and adolescent mental health service, CAMAS. How much funding was given to CAMAS? What was the planned programme for the development and how has it progressed?

In the third year, only €25 million of the €35 million budget was allocated and a promise was given that it would be made up later. What plans are there to allocate that as promised, when the reduction did not take place in 2013?

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