Tony McLoughlin (Sligo-Leitrim, Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

Before I begin my brief contribution to the debate, I thank the Ministers of State, Deputies Marcella Corcoran Kennedy and Helen McEntee, for agreeing to allocate some of their speaking time to me. I also thank Deputy John Browne and the Fianna Fáil Party for giving us an opportunity to again debate the serious issue of mental health in the Dáil.

As I am sure the Leas-Cheann Comhairle is very much aware, mental health issues can affect any home in the country. They can affect people from any background and of any gender or age. That is the reason they present one of the biggest challenges the Government and we, as elected representatives, face. I am sure we all have examples in our constituencies of homes that have been devastated by a suicide caused by underlying mental health problems or of a person suffering from depression or anxiety who does not know where to turn. It is a terrible reality for families to face and no one is immune from its grip. That is the reason the development and implementation of mental health policy and the upgrading of facilities and staffing allocations are key priorities for the Government. It is also the reason they will remain key priorities for it, despite what one may read on Twitter or Facebook. I take the opportunity to reaffirm to the Dáil our full commitment to the development and improvement of mental health services.

Members may recall that one of the first decisions the Government took on taking office was to sanction the appointment of a dedicated Minister of State with special responsibility for mental health services. That highlighted the seriousness of the issue for the Government and the fact that it was of such importance it needed a dedicated Minister of State to ensure agreed targets were achieved.

L0ike Fianna Fáil and all parties represented in this House, we agree that there is an urgent need to make significant progress in this area. That is why we agreed with Fianna Fáil, as a matter of priority in A Programme for a Partnership Government, that we would continue to increase annual spending on mental health services, develop new facilities and services nationally and fully implement the modernisation of mental health services in line with the policy A Vision for Change. I am glad to see that is exactly what the Government is working very hard to do and it is what we will continue to do until we leave office.

It is important to highlight again the revenue allocated for mental health service in 2017. I say this because people often become confused when discussing the annual mental health budget. A constituent of mine contacted my office recently seeking to understand why the entire mental health budget was only €15 million. When I asked where she had read that information, she replied that she had read it online. We need to be clear and unequivocal that the mental health budget for 2017 will be €851.3 million, which represents an increase of over €24.7 million, or approximately 3%, on 2016 levels. That sum of €851.3 million will be supplemented by a further €50 million in capital funding. In that regard, I welcome a new development at Sligo University Hospital. The mental health budget will continue to rise in 2018 and 2019 under this Fine Gael-led Government. This funding will enable key priorities to be addressed in the HSE's 2017 service plan, including youth mental health services, further improvements to child and adolescent and adult services, older people’s services and an enhanced out-of-hours response, 24/7, for those in need of services.

I would like the House to acknowledge the work being done by the HSE and the many voluntary bodies that are working extremely hard the length and breadth of the country.

See this speech in context