Ms Kate Mitchell:

To answer the Deputy's first question, we responded soon after the budget for 2018 had been announced and had some very serious concerns about the mental health services budget allocation to maintain existing levels of service. The HSE has been very clear in its most recent operational plan that, owing to demographic changes, national pay agreements and various other factors, it will struggle to maintain existing levels of service within existing budgets and also struggle in the development of new services.

Development funding was allocated to the mental health sector in recent years to invest in new services that had been recommended in A Vision for Change. We had a concern about the amount allocated and it was increased a little subsequently following liaison with Ministers. The Minister, Deputy Simon Harris, and the Minister of State, Deputy Jim Daly, have committed to significant investment in mental health services in 2019 through the provision of €55 million in development funds. It is imperative that commitment be fulfilled.

On the role of the Parliamentary Budget Office, I mentioned that there was a massive issue in the mental health area in that there was no national information system. A key role for the committee and the office would be in the provision of a direction and the oversight of budgetary decisions on mental health service funding and expenditure.