Martin Browne (Tipperary, Sinn Fein) | Oireachtas source

Yes. When it comes to mental health, it is the poor relation in the health service overall. I refer to the statistic Mr. O'Sullivan mentioned earlier regarding the average European budget allocation to health being 12%, while it is 5% here. I am involved with the Fight for Mental Health Services group in County Tipperary. We have a situation where somebody going to the hospital in Clonmel after 5 p.m. with mental health issues will be sent to Kilkenny. In north Tipperary, people will be sent to the hospital in Ennis. This is as if it is possible to switch off. The service runs from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. and this is a crazy situation. The Government is able to keep telling us about how much money it pumps into the mental health services. For the years we have been involved we have looked for one room off the accident and emergency department in Clonmel hospital to ensure that someone who presents with mental health issues will not be out in that main department setting. We still cannot get that one room.

A lot of it is lip service. When you are talking about 5% of the overall budget when it should be 12%, it was always going to be lip service. I have no more questions. Does Deputy Buckley want to come in?