Jim Daly (Cork South West, Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

Staffing is a continuing challenge. As the Deputy is aware, it is not just about resources; it also about finding skilled and qualified staff. Since 2012 over 2,000 staffing positions have been approved, but to date we have only been able to fill 1,352 of them in mental health services. That is not down to finance but to the availability of staff such as consultant psychiatrists, of whom there is a scarcity worldwide, not just in Ireland. That is the recruitment challenge we face in dealing with the increasing demand for mental health services. As the Deputy is aware, €910 million has been allocated for mental health services, an increase of €200 million in the past five years. Funding has been increased significantly.

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