Dáil debates

Wednesday, 21 May 2008

10:30 am

Photo of Brian CowenBrian Cowen (Laois-Offaly, Fianna Fail)

One of the main issues we face in trying to reform the health service is ensuring that resources are not continually put into acute services but that we provide more for community services and improve the frontline services in communities. In regard to mental health care, change has been ongoing for more than two decades in terms of providing community based facilities and trying to end inappropriate placements for people in mental hospitals who, under modern psychiatric circumstances, could be far better treated in the community. This initially met with some community resistance because of people's lack of knowledge that such care settings could be established within residential areas. They have since proved to be a great success because of the support of community organisations which have helped people understand that persons in that situation are capable of having a more fulfilling life in the community than in institutional settings. That has been going on for some time.

A problem with our health system has been the level of resources taken up in the provision of acute services. Some 70% of the total budget is expended for this purpose. It is true that the full allocation was not expended in the areas of mental health and palliative care last year. In regard to palliative care, direction has been given to the management of the health service this year to ensure the allocation is expended in this financial year. This has meant an increased provision of service and a much increased allocation to the voluntary hospice movement which does——

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