Bríd Smith (Dublin South Central, People Before Profit Alliance) | Oireachtas source

Will the Taoiseach please respond to the news that the Psychiatric Nurses Association, PNA, has voted by a staggering 87% to take strike action over staff shortages in the mental health services, particularly among psychiatric nurses? The famous report, A Vision for Change, dates back to 2006 and recommended an increase of 1,800 staff in mental health services. By 2012, we were 23% below that recommendation. In 2014, the suicide rate was 475. That figure does not include the numbers who attempted to take their own lives or did themselves harm because of the continuing deprivation in mental health services.

The reason the PNA gives for this serious ballot on strike action is that there is no clear plan from the Health Service Executive, HSE, on how to address this staffing crisis. Staffing levels in child mental health services are down 50% and the staffing level in adult mental health services is only 75% filled. The PNA says that there are 600 vacancies for psychiatric nurses and there will be another 400 within the next year because of retirements. To stay at the current level would require an extra 1,000 nurses in the mental health services. That does not include child psychiatrists and other therapists required.

The Taoiseach will be asked many questions later about the programme for Government, but I want to use this opportunity to ask what the programme intends doing in this regard because in the mental health section it states it will implement A Vision for Change.

Given the level of crisis in terms of staff shortages and funding for mental health services alone, can the Taoiseach outline for the House what answer he will give to the Psychiatric Nurses' Association, PNA, the mental health services generally and those who require mental health services to address the chronic shortage in the service? It seems to me that the programme for Government and HSE are failing to address this urgent crisis.

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