Catherine Connolly (Galway West, Independent) | Oireachtas source

Following up on the same topic, the ten-year strategy published in 2006 set out a comprehensive model of mental health. It gave a framework for building and fostering mental health across the entire community and providing accessible community-based specialist service for those with mental illness. In other words, it told the Government back in 2006 what to do, more importantly, how to do it and, even more importantly, in the knowledge that any government might not do it, made a strong recommendation that a monitoring body be set up. That monitoring body was set up. It was set up for two three-year periods, between 2006 and 2009 and between 2009 and 2012.

Significantly, it was disbanded for some reason, so we have no independent monitoring group, as per A Vision for Change. When it sat, the monitoring group and the Mental Health Commission repeatedly pointed out that the implementation of A Vision for Change has been slow and inconsistent. This week, the Mental Health Commission again confirms that A Vision for Change is extremely important and puts the patient at the core in terms of recovery. However, it points out that much needs to be done. Additionally, it points out a serious number of failures and issues to be rectified, with the first being the setting up of an independent monitoring commission. That has not been done and I would like the Tánaiste's answer on that. The second issue is an immediate review. Since coming to the Dáil I have heard statement after statement being made with goodwill. There is no answer from the Government as to when the review will be set up, who sits on the panel and when there will be a review report.

Some of the specific issues highlighted by the Mental Health Commission have already been mentioned. Although I am paraphrasing the Tánaiste, it is not appropriate for her to say they are not that bad. There are serious problems, notwithstanding the good work of the staff. Of the 61 inspections, only six facilities were fully compliant and only one of those was run by the Health Service Executive. Well done to that centre in Ballinasloe in east Galway. There were 95 children admitted to the wrong facility. In 1997, the European Commission of Human Rights indicated that we were failing to comply with our obligations by not providing appropriate facilities. We are doing the same thing 19 years later. Spending on mental health was as high as 14% of the budget in the 1990s, when we had very little money, but it is now down to 6%. A Vision for Change specifically asked for a figure of at least 8.2%.

With regard to improvements in the economy, it costs more not to deal with mental health. On page 176 of A Vision for Change from 2006, it is stated that the cost of a failure to deal with mental health issues is €11 billion. I believe that figure is wrong, but it is in the document. Will the Tánaiste answer those two specific questions?

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