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

It is a decision taken by clinicians, such as consultant psychiatrists, as to what medication is necessary for patients. With regard to spending in the area of mental health, as the Tánaiste pointed out earlier in his contribution, the budget is €910 million. It has increased by €200 million since 2012. It is not the need for resources or for financial support from the Government that is holding back the delivery of services. An issue I have addressed here on numerous occasions is recruitment, and the Tánaiste referred to the fact that 2,000 positions have been approved and funded but the people with the necessary skill set are not out there. There is a worldwide shortage of consultant psychiatrists, which is delaying the delivery of these services. We need to look more at earlier interventions. We need to look to schools, and the Minister, Deputy Bruton, and I are working in this area to build services in schools and build more proactive services at primary care level and not at the acute level.

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