Aisling Dolan (Fine Gael)
Link to this: Individually | In context | Oireachtas source

I welcome all the professors, doctors and psychiatric consultants, who have taken time out to present to us. I very much appreciate the time they are giving to the committee to discuss this really important legislation. As they said, it is for the most vulnerable people in our community and is about putting patient health first.

I come from Ballinasloe, which was once home to St. Brigid's psychiatric institution, a wonderful place that managed acute episodes of need. Some of our guests' submissions mentioned the lack of acute beds and I take that on board. This year, there has been an increase of more than €47 million for mental health, under the remit of the Minister of State with responsibility for mental health, Deputy Butler. I am curious whether the increase of 5% is to be taken against the increase that has been invested in the health service due to Covid-19. I do not know whether that is a percentage of what would normally be invested in the health service or whether it is because of what has been invested following the emergence of Covid-19.

Our guests made very relevant points about parts of the legislation. I do not know if it was the IMO or the IHCA that pointed out that it will remove the right of family members to apply to have a relative admitted. Our guests indicated there is a lack of authorised personnel to allow families to bring their loved ones forward when they are going through an acute episode. I understand very much the significant recruitment processes within the HSE. I worked previously in health innovation within National University of Ireland Galway, NUIG, but linked with University Hospital Galway, UHG. A considerable bone of contention related to recruitment. We had a part-time person working with us from the HSE and I got to know very well the term "backfill", which I had never heard previously. That was pre-Covid, so I can only imagine the challenges that exist now. When someone is moved internally from post to post without that position being filled or that person being allowed to come into role, it is a big issue. Are there ways we could examine the recruitment processes to speed up bringing people into role?