John Moloney (Laois-Offaly, Fianna Fail)

-----went on to show specific and clear evidence of the effect of a downturn in the economy, not just in this country but throughout the world. The figures were obvious. Unemployment and high stress levels unfortunately lead to serious mental health issues.

We are here to discuss the impact a recession and unemployment may have on suicide rates. I will not contradict anything that has been said. Our financial difficulties do not in any way dilute the Government's commitment in the area of mental health reform. Deputies will be aware of the greatly increased funding base for mental health services that has been built up over recent years. Overall spending on mental health services in 2007 and 2008 amounted to an estimated €1 billion annually. I do not intend simply to go through figures in the House because that can be more annoying than anything else but I want to be able to show in the coming two to three months that regarding the Government's commitment to delivering the mental health reform programme, A Vision for Change, I intend doing a public appraisal some time in January.

By way of acknowledging what has been done I will be writing to all the people who had an input into A Vision for Change to ask them to make me aware of the barriers they have encountered in delivering the reform programme. I look forward to giving more information on that in more detail in a future debate.

See this speech in context