James Reilly (Dublin North, Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

I thank both Deputies for giving me the opportunity to update the House on the current position in the provision of additional funding for mental health services in 2013.

Following on from the special allocation of €35 million and 414 posts provided for mental health in 2012, an additional €35 million was allocated in budget 2013 for the continued development of our mental health services across a range of headings, including the development of forensic services and community mental health teams for adults, children, older persons and mental health intellectual disability. A total of 477 posts have been approved from this allocation and as of 26 August 2013, 220 of these posts had been accepted with a further 24 posts offered to candidates. Of the 233 remaining posts, 162 are at various stages in the recruitment process. These posts are additional to the additional 414 posts funded in 2012, of which 397 have either been filled or are awaiting clearance.

The national recruitment service, NRS, creates national panels in anticipation of vacancies. On occasion, however, it is difficult to fill posts for various reasons, including availability of qualified candidates and geographical location. In addition, specific specialist staff are required to fill a number of posts and the NRS and the mental health services are working to further improve the process to allow for more bespoke and specialised panels to meet local service needs and maximise successful recruitment. I have received assurances from the HSE that the recruitment process for the new posts being funded in 2013 and any outstanding posts approved in 2012 is being given priority within the HSE.

In recognising the pivotal role that primary care has in addressing the mental health needs of the population, €5 million was made available in 2012 for the provision of counselling services in primary care, specifically for people with mental health problems. An additional €2.5 million has been provided this year for the continued roll-out of this service from this special year's allocation for mental health. A total of €4 million of the additional funding provided in 2012 and 2013 was also provided to the HSE's national office for suicide prevention, NOSP, and this additional investment has led to work being progressed on almost every recommendation in Reach Out, our national strategy for action on suicide prevention, including a number of new service initiatives in this area. The NOSP also continues to fund more than 40 organisations and programmes, which are engaged in the delivery of front-line services for people who are in emotional distress, engaged in self-harm or who have been bereaved through suicide.

I reiterate the Government's commitment to the continued development of our mental health services in the community in line with A Vision for Change and Reach Out and our determination to tackle this widespread problem in our society over the past number of years.

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