Paschal Donohoe (Dublin Central, Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

The Deputy in his contribution made reference to phase of "looking into the mirror" and about our having to confront things about our society that are both good and bad. There is no doubt that the huge difficulties and challenges our young people face with respect to their mental health is one part of the jigsaw in terms of ensuring we have a society that looks after people who need help while also recognising that essential public services must be funded and in place to deal with the type of difficulties to which the Deputy referred.

The Deputy made reference to A Vision for Change. As he may be aware, A Vision for Change identifies the need for 80 child and adolescent child and psychiatric inpatient beds for the most vulnerable, who need the care and the service they deserve, and we must ensure they can be provided for them in the right place. Currently, 39 such beds are available and there are plans in place to put additional beds and services in place. A further eight beds will be commissioned in Cork and a further five beds will reopen in Galway by the end of the year. A second phase in terms of a child and adolescent unit at St. Vincent's Hospital in Fairview will be put in place to increase capacity from 12 to 18 beds by the end of 2013. Putting in place those services will be an essential part of the broader set of services that must be available to deal with the issue the Deputy identified. It is apt that he should raise it today, World Mental Health Day. I offer our thoughts and sympathies to the family dealing with the terrible difficulty that prompted Deputy Maloney to raise this issue in the House.

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