Kathleen Lynch (Cork North Central, Labour)

I thank Deputy Calleary for raising this issue. He is probably aware I have had an interest in this area not just since I got this job but for many years, and I have worked very closely with his colleague, the former Minister of State, Mr. John Moloney. We should never forget that what we are doing now is simply a continuum. Others have been here before and there will be others in the future. It is about ensuring that forward momentum continues.

The unit in Ballina referred to by the Deputy, which is part of the district hospital, provides inpatient and respite beds as well as a day-care centre and outreach services to patients with severe and enduring mental health conditions. The unit currently caters for four residential patients and also provides four respite beds. Teach Aisling, located in Castlebar, is a ten-bed inpatient facility for clients with severe and enduring mental illness. It is a high support hostel which also provides rehabilitative outreach services.

Mental health services across all regions are continually reviewing the provision of service to their population to maximise the balance of service access within the available resources. Mental health services in Mayo are currently reviewing their psychiatric services in the context of the recently approved HSE service plan for 2012. The process will include consultation with service users and consideration of how safe and quality services can be provided within available resources. The expenditure reductions necessary in 2012 will challenge all areas of the health system to provide continuity of services that are both appropriate and safe for patients. As in other care areas, efficiency and other savings will be required from the mental health service nationally which will necessarily involve some rationalisation and reorganisation of services at local and regional level.

In spite of this, I am glad to say that it was possible to secure an additional €35 million for mental health, in line with our programme for Government commitments. This funding will be used primarily to strengthen community mental health teams in both adult and children's mental health services. It is intended that the additional resources will be rolled out in conjunction with a scheme of appropriate clinical care programmes based on an early intervention and recovery approach. Some of the funding will also be used to advance activities in the area of suicide prevention and in response to self-harm presentations, and to initiate the provision of psychological and counselling services in primary care specifically for people with mental health problems. Some provision will also be made to facilitate the relocation of mental health service users from institutional care to more independent living arrangements in their communities, again in line with A Vision for Change.

It is important that we get best value for money from our available resources. Duplication of mental health services needs to be avoided in order to provide a more streamlined service. We need to co-ordinate our efforts and work together to develop our mental health services in line with A Vision for Change recommendations. In essence, we need to provide more with less. This has already been successfully achieved in mental health service provision in other areas, Wexford being one where I have seen this working.

I am committed to working closely with the HSE and voluntary agencies to introduce programmes and services which will deal more effectively and appropriately with the issue of mental health. The time for dealing with mental health has come. I am glad to have the opportunity at times such as this to respond, even to individual cases. I will definitely take on board the Deputy's kind invitation.

See this speech in context