Mick Wallace (Wexford, Independent) | Oireachtas source

People have died because they were not admitted to hospital; people have committed suicide in Wexford. The Minister of State has said that Wexford and Waterford are well served, but, according to the HSE's mental health division plan for 2015, spending per capita in the mental health area in the region is €148. That compares to €223 in Carlow-Kilkenny, €198 in south Tipperary and €206 in Mayo. The average number of acute beds per thousand of population across the country is 0.21 and it is 0.16 in Waterford-Wexford. People in Wexford who have to go through two accident and emergency departments are at a disadvantage to people in Waterford who only have to go through one accident and emergency department. Also, people in Wexford have to travel to Waterford and Wexford is one of the poorest served areas. This area has a suicide rate of double the national average and an unemployment rate as of today of more than 23%. That is incredible.

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