John Moloney (Laois-Offaly, Fianna Fail)

I have never argued publicly against the fact that the mental health budget has fallen from 8% to 5.4% of the overall health budget. Nor do I give the standard answer that there is hidden investment in mental health through the primary care facilities and community supports. Given that €600 million less will go into health services in this year's budget, the onus is on me to prioritise funding for mental health within this, particularly in the area of early intervention. To allow us to deliver the recommendations in A Vision for Change over the next four years, I will be making the case for a reorganisation of funding within the health budget to prioritise mental health. I am saying this in public and I said it recently at a conference. It ties in with the commitments of A Vision for Change.

A Vision for Change sets out a ten-year programme, of which four years have been completed. We can meet the commitments we have made in regard to the scheduled closure of mental hospitals in the six years remaining. I will be honest with the Deputies. We had hoped to raise €50 million this year but due to the downturn in the economy, we have raised €10 million thus far. Much of the anticipated windfall was dependent on local authorities being in funds. We are negotiating with local authorities on funding our developments over a two to three-year period.

In a nutshell, the commitment I have made on closing the old hospitals within three years remains. In addition to the commitments I gave last year on this year's spending, I gave a commitment that on 1 March each year we would outline what we can do to work towards our goals. Regarding the clinical lead, no appointment has yet been made.

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