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

The period I outlined, in which there was an ever-increasing shortage of staff in mental health services, was also a period of austerity, when economic hardship and worries such as where to live, job losses, putting a roof over one's head, sending children to college, etc., put a major stress and strain on people, which led to further loss of mental health in families, the self-employed and unemployed workers.

The period to which I referred, when there was a reduction in psychiatric nurses in particular, is the one on which the PNA is focusing. The Taoiseach has failed to address my question. If the PNA takes strike action on the issue of nurse shortages and the need to recruit at least 375 extra psychiatric nurses per year for the next few years, where will the money and determination come from?

The Taoiseach answered Deputy Martin's question about the extra funding that has been allocated to health, and said it would be allocated to existing services, overruns in acute hospitals, disability, home help services and mental health. Many areas require funding before one even begins to examine the need to engage an extra 1,000 psychiatric nurses, according to the PNA, which is taking strike action because of that fact.

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