Alan Farrell (Dublin Fingal, Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

I congratulate Deputy Helen McEntee on her appointment as a Minister of State to tackle a very important subject and an issue which has not really received the required political attention over the last number of decades. It is important to note that we now have a dedicated ministerial appointee with responsibility for this portfolio.

I will start by addressing an issue which in certain circles remains a taboo and something which is not discussed openly. That is regrettable. If we are overweight, we exercise and if we need to improve our knowledge, we study. However, when it comes to the most important muscle in our body, we do not exercise it. We do not speak about it and we are not really given the opportunity to be heard and yet that can often be the antidote to depression. It can help even those who might not like to classify themselves as depressed but might say they are feeling low. This relates to one in four of us statistically but everyone in certain professions finds this is a subject that arises from time to time. It is important for us to recognise the importance of being able to talk and be heard and to ensure that the State provides a service which can cater to all of those in need of support, whether through resources and physical buildings or the personnel to support the general public.

I am glad to see that there is a focus on mental health services in the programme for Government. I remember debating this in the Chamber and I was in the Chair at one time listening to various Members discussing mental health prior to the formation of the programme for Government. It is important to see that focus on the subject in the programme and its result in the appointment of a Minister of State with responsibility for the area. I am pleased to see this approach being taken in the programme for Government, particularly with the acknowledgement that the budget for mental health will be increased on an annual basis. We must work tirelessly to progress and implement A Vision for Change, which is ten years old this year. I am sure the Minister of State will do just that.

Education allows people to disassociate mental health issues or depression from the taboo status it has had in society heretofore. As such, the introduction of a junior certificate subject in this area is very important. Education is the key to a vast majority of issues across Irish society. If we can provide school children with the opportunity to articulate issues in what is a very pressurised environment for them in terms of bullying and physical concerns about appearance and so on, that will be positive. It is important to provide a broad base for our school children to come through the education system with the tools necessary to tackle issues that might arise with their own mental health as they grow older. We always come under pressure. The last ten years or so have been incredibly problematic for families the length and breadth of this country, whether as a result of unemployment, mortgage distress or other issues like that.

Not a day goes by that my office does not speak with individuals who, despite so many years having passed, are still under severe pressure, be it from small personal debts, issues relating to their family homes or so on. The stress that this can cause for families can shove a wedge between couples and mortgage holders, resulting in the collapse of marriages and partnerships. Several Departments can provide support, but the most important is the Department of Health, which is tasked with an added emphasis on providing mental health services.

The new junior certificate subject will be accompanied by the establishment of a national youth task force on mental health, which will target how best to promote awareness among young people across the board. As outlined in the programme for Government, we will conduct an evidence-based expert review of the status of Ireland's implementation of international best practice in terms of mental health. We are a small country of just over 4 million people and, while we have proven for many decades to be world leaders in innovation at Government level, we must learn and be informed by international best practice. The best way to improve our health services, particularly mental health services, in this way is for our Minister, Ministers or Oireachtas committees to investigate and speak with representatives of various nations at health service or parliamentary level. It is a positive that we are utilising this option and conducting an evidence-based review. We must increase awareness of mental health in every community so that we might promote a discussion and remove the stigma that, unfortunately, continues to apply in Irish society to mental health issues.

I apologise for having missed the previous Deputy's contribution on the provision of acute services, but the development of the national forensic mental hospital in Portrane is a positive step. It provides a 21st century state-of-the-art facility almost in the heart of Dublin that caters for those who require 24-hour care, outpatient services etc. While the facility on the south side of Dublin is good, it is bursting at the seams and does not provide all of the requisite services. Centralising services will be important, although some issues arise in the constituency, as is always the case with such developments. The HSE's broad approach in its delivery of this facility is to be welcomed.

The mental health budget has increased year on year from €711 million in 2012 to €826.6 million in 2016. While this includes a lay-over from last year, there were reasons to do with the recruitment process for that €35 million being held back. The new Dáil arithmetic means that we must all work together if we are to do anything. The recruitment process to put experts where they are required must be prioritised, which I am sure the Minister of State, Deputy McEntee, will do in the coming months. The development of the national forensic mental hospital in Portrane is important in the move towards a patient-centred approach.

I am sure that every Deputy knows someone who has faced mental health difficulties. We have all heard from constituents who have been impacted by such difficulties. It is important on this subject that the Dáil arrives at suggestions. I presume that this matter will go before the Oireachtas health committee, once it has been formed, for the purpose of debate and informing it of examples from which we can extract and implement best practice. It is up to us all to make a positive contribution to what is an important subject.

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