Aengus Ó Snodaigh (Dublin South Central, Sinn Fein)

Ba mhaith liom an Dáil a chur ar athló chun deileáil leis an ghnó ríthabhachtach seo faoi Bhuan Ordú 32, namely, the urgent need for the Government to address the crisis in our mental health services. It is a myth that the mental health sector was protected by budget 2011. The cut of almost 2% comes on top of chronic under-funding year on year and the true extent of the cuts is masked by the recruitment embargo which has hit mental health services disproportionately. Inpatient bed numbers and community care provision have been cut and acute in-patient beds across the country are being cut. There is an urgent need for the Government to end the recruitment embargo in the mental health area.

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