Michael Ring (Mayo, Fine Gael)

I thank the Cathaoirleach. I raise this issue because there is great concern across County Mayo. Staff and patients have been notified that major cutbacks in the county's mental health services will take place. This is a cause of great concern for the most vulnerable in society in particular.

I attended a meeting last Monday at which representatives of the Health Service Executive confirmed there would be major cutbacks. They stated that they had expected to receive €1 million more than they actually received last year. The funds allocated were the same as the previous year's allocation. Given wage increases and costs in respect of fuel and the overall running of the hospital service, the representatives stated they simply cannot run it. The HSE now is obliged to begin to cut back on the services. It is outrageous that the first people to be affected are those with mental illness, who are the weakest in society. They will not be able to induce people to go out and protest or fight their corner for them. Shame on the Health Service Executive, the Minister, the Government and the county's health board for allowing this to happen.

A number of services were being provided. Although 90 hours per month were made available, those affected have been told that from 1 July they will be reduced to 12 hours per month and some of the services that were available will be lost. They had therapy, art classes, writing classes and gym classes to assist people with mental illness who needed to become fit. Such people also were taught how to feed themselves and how to read and write. What is happening is a scandal. It is wrong that at a time when one is told there is so much money in the country, the first people to be targeted are those with mental illness. I ask the Minister of State to contact the relevant HSE general manager and insist that whatever cutbacks must be made must not be inflicted on the weakest. Such cutbacks should not be made where they will hurt people's health or where they will affect those who are the weakest in society.

It is a disgrace the available services will be taken away and such people will be left without them. If Members do not protect those in society who are in most need of protection, why are they in this House? This is the reason the people felt disconnected last week from politicians and the decisions that are made. Decisions such as this are made by faceless people in the HSE and those on the ground are obliged to suffer. I refer to the staff, the families of those who are disturbed by mental illness and the people who must depend on the health service to look after them.

This reason there was a "No" vote last week is because Members have given away all the powers of this House. They have given them away to the HSE, which will not answer anyone and is not responsible to anyone in this House. The Minister has washed her hands. I call on the Minister of State, the Government and the HSE to provide the necessary funding to retain the exisitng facilities for the most vulnerable in societ.y If one is unable to protect them, there is no point in having a HSE or a health service.

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