Thomas Byrne (Meath East, Fianna Fail) | Oireachtas source

I want to make a general point about mental health. There is huge community activity going on. Darkness into Light walks will take place in a number of places in my constituency this weekend. I could mention many other community and voluntary activities. This Parliament is about the Government. The confidence and supply agreement between Fianna Fáil and the current Government is the basis on which the Minister of State, Deputy McEntee, and her colleagues are in office. The implementation of A Vision for Change is one of the conditions of the confidence and supply agreement. That basically means money needs to be spent on the provision of services. The Minister of State is not spending the money that is needed. Everyone accepts that €35 million is required, but less than half of that is being provided. That is a failure.

Despite all our talk about getting people talking, many of the people who need these services cannot talk and are voiceless. Many of their family members are still afraid to speak even though they should not be. In my view, we cannot continue to support this Government if these and other items are not being delivered. They are not being delivered and cannot be delivered without the provision of the €35 million I have mentioned. If the Minister of State cannot ensure €35 million is spent to provide essential services, someone else will have to do it. We have heard examples of the services that are needed and we will continue to hear such examples. It is simply unbearable. It must stop. We must do our job in this Parliament, which is to run public services, including public mental health services. I commend Deputy Browne on introducing this Bill which will help the individuals suffering mental health problems who are in and out of various institutions and hospitals. I thank the Deputy. I am under pressure because we are running out of time.

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