Pat Buckley (Cork East, Sinn Fein) | Oireachtas source

I echo what Deputy Cullinane said. I wish to focus specifically on mental health funding. The budget made little mention of what funding would be available apart from a measly €35 million to be put into mental health services. Unfortunately the Government did not clarify if this was additional money or whether the €20 million announced in last year's budget would be carried over. Stories were buzzing all over the place on the evening of the budget. No one was given any proper detail at the press conference by the Minister and Ministers of State at the Department of Health on how much money would be put into mental health despite it having been raised. I do not believe any of the journalists even asked a question on it, which was very surprising. On budget night I wrote to the Minister's office asking for clarification and as of today I have still received no response, which is extremely disappointing given the position I hold.

Instead of telling the Dáil, the Government kept up the charade of the €35 million of new money until yesterday afternoon, when it finally admitted to some - although not to the Dáil or publicly - that €20 million of this claimed new money was actually announced in budget 2017. Therefore the actual increase in spending for this year is again €15 million, which is a paltry sum. If it is added up, it is probably €50 million over the past two years. A figure of €50 million might possibly be acceptable, because our budget submission, which was costed, proposed an additional €51.2 million.

I congratulate Mental Health Reform, which has made clear that a minimum of €35 million is needed each year just to cover the requirements in A Vision for Change, a policy that is now 11 years old. Other new developments are coming on board. I commend Dr. Shari McDaid and Ms Kate Mitchell of Mental Health Reform, who have done extremely valuable work.

I am very concerned about the new money promised for next year. I believe Fianna Fáil and Fine Gael have actually been caught out on this. It is like closing the stable door after the horse has bolted. It is practically useless. It is the old promises - if they keep telling a lie over and again, people will eventually believe it.

I have to be honest. We have heard titbits fired out about a republic of opportunity and about balancing the books. I will be very brutal and very honest. Is there a republic of opportunity and are we balancing the books for the parents who have just buried someone whom they lost to suicide? Have we balanced the books for the pensioners who have spent two years on a waiting list for a hip operation? I cannot see a republic of opportunity in that. Have we balanced the books and given this great republic of opportunity to the young person who has to emigrate because he or she cannot afford to live in this country? It is absolutely ridiculous.

Fine Gael, Fianna Fáil and the Independent Members of Government sat in a room and hammered this out. I have listened to it all week and it amazes me that Fianna Fáil can criticise what it has supported in this Chamber. It is like baking a cake. Fine Gael and Fianna Fáil discussed the ingredients, they put them into a pot and they cooked it. Now they have started to taste it, Fianna Fáil do not like it and are giving out to Fine Gael about it. It is absolutely ridiculous. As has been said over and over again, Fine Gael and Fianna Fáil have normalised poverty and homelessness. They have practically normalised debt. The Government had the cheek to talk about supporting mental health in this Chamber last year. All it has done is lied. There has been cut after cut. We are black and blue from saying that Government must get a grip and accept the reality of this. If Members of the Government do not want to be inside the Chamber, they should get out. This is a place where work is supposed to be done. It is not being done. They come in here and talk the talk but when they leave the Chamber they shut their mouths. They say to themselves that they are grand and that they are safe now and will be back again. A person in suicidal form does not have a second chance. We, as elected representatives, might have a second chance to be elected next time around if we are lucky. People who present at accident and emergency departments on their last chance of survival do not seem to be a priority for this Government.

People have asked me what leads people to suicidal ideation. They are led to suicidal ideation by a Government which looks after itself and which looks after the privileged. It cannot figure out why people's spirits are broken. People's spirits are broken because the jobs are crap. They are extremely low paid and there is no chance of getting on the property ladder. There have been cuts to the health service, people emigrating, families breaking down and extremely long waiting lists in the health service. The Government calls this a republic of opportunity. This is a banana republic. The Government should be ashamed. When Members of Government speak out of both sides of their mouths to satisfy the public, they are only fooling themselves because the people are not stupid. I hope God spares me and that I am re-elected. There are rumours of €18 million, €19 million and €20 million for mental health funding. I do not believe it. The Government is not made up of realists when it comes to helping people, but only when looking after itself.

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