Colm Keaveney (Galway East, Fianna Fail) | Oireachtas source

The programme for Government, as published in 2011, provided for €35 million in ring-fenced funding for the recruitment of specialist staff to facilitate the successful implementation of the policy document A Vision for Change. As the Taoiseach is aware, that commitment was rowed back on in 2012 and 2013. The expenditure involved was current in nature and its removal has resulted in a cumulative underspend of €280 million in the context of the implementation of the policy in question. Last year, the commitment was rowed back on even further when another €15 million cut was imposed. The Minister of State with responsibility for mental health services, Deputy Kathleen Lynch, indicated that the Minister for Public Expenditure and Reform had given her a verbal commitment to the effect that the money involved would be restored this year. The latter has not proven to be the case. In light of the fact that there has been an underspend of €280 million in respect of the implementation of mental health policy, does the Government still intend to faithfully honour the commitments made in A Vision for Change?

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