Simon Harris (Wicklow, Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

Obviously I do not want to comment on individual staff matters or comments that may or may not have been said because I am not familiar with the details, but let me be very clear about my commitment and the commitment of the Government on developing further the peer support programme. It seems extraordinarily logical that we would benefit from the experience of people who have been through mental distress and have gone on to recovery.

It is an invaluable tool. Anecdotally, I hear there are good benefits from the pilot project in place. The project was selected through a competitive process in which every HSE mental health services area had an opportunity to apply. We will have the results of the review in September, which will be in advance of both the budget and the HSE's service plan, and I am sure my colleague, the Minister of State, Deputy Jim Daly, will be eager to roll it out to an expanded area. I will take on board the Deputy's view about Wexford being considered in that context.

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