Pat Rabbitte (Dublin South West, Labour)

Like Deputy Kenny, I wish the Tánaiste success in the health portfolio. She has set out three priorities and I do not dispute them. It is urgent that they be dealt with after the many years of drift. Deputy Kenny referred to the publication of the ESRI report today, and to the fact that we are second from the bottom of 22 OECD countries in comparative performance on health status indicators. This means the general health of the country, as compared to those countries, is second from the bottom.

Specifically on the mental health services does the Tánaiste appreciate that as a total percentage of the health budget, we now spend just over 6% of the total health budget compared with 11% in the 1990s? Does she agree that the mental health services are the Cinderella of the health service? What is the status of Government policy following the announcement of her colleague, Deputy O'Malley, in respect of the sale of public lands surrounding 14 psychiatric hospitals in the country and the commitment that that money will be ploughed back into the psychiatric services? Is that Government policy? Has the Department of Finance or the new Government stopped it? What is the status of it? I ask this because of a particular case in the Tánaiste's constituency, where €31 million has been realised from the sale of lands around St. Loman's. A commitment was given that it would be used in an area that has the poorest provision of psychiatric services per capita in the country, although it has the highest clinical demand. I speak of community areas four and five. The sale of the lands realised €31 million, but only €15 million has been dedicated to the psychiatric services. How can that be reconciled with the announcement with much fanfare during the summer, of the transformation of land assets into what the Minister called health assets, specifically for the mental health services?

See this speech in context