Patrick Nulty (Dublin West, Labour)

I agree that there is a need for value for money on every item of public expenditure and that the people we represent expect this. This is the annual report of the Genesis psychotherapy and family therapy service which gives value for money. If there is a 12% cut in services such as this this year and in the two following years, value for money will not be achieved. It will result in a higher level of family breakdown in our most vulnerable communities. As an example, the Genesis service has a waiting list of 100. It costs money to provide mortgage interest supplement, rent supplement and send people to prison. I do not believe reductions in expenditure of this nature help us to bridge the gap between income and expenditure. It is a case of moving the furniture around the house when we should investing in the provision of early support such as that provided by the Genesis service. I welcome the Minister of State's personal commitment and invite her to visit the service to see the work being done. I appreciate she is not in a position to give a commitment today, but I ask her to ask her departmental officials about the cut to this service. The people who raised the issue with me are dealing with mental health issues on the ground in working-class communities and deeply concerned about the closure of such facilities.

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