James Browne (Wexford, Fianna Fail) | Oireachtas source

The mental health area has suffered systemic neglect and lack of resources. If anybody is in any doubt about this they only need to see RTÉ's "The Big Picture" from last week. It is, unfortunately, truly reflective of what so many parents and patients throughout the State are experiencing with mental health services.

The numbers are reflected in the percentage of funding that is spent on mental health out of the overall health spend. It is currently barely over 6%. A Vision for Change provides that it should be 8.4%. Sláintecare has said it should be 10%. The World Health Organization, WHO, recommends that the spend should be 12%. The confidence and supply agreement inserted a requirement that A Vision for Change would be funded over the lifetime of the Government. This was reflected in a proposed €35.4 million per year over each of five years. In budget 2017, however, when the €35 million was announced we found out subsequently that only €15 million could be spent in the following year. How this adds up is beyond me.

We were then given an undertaking that in budget 2018 the baseline would include the original €35 million and an additional €35 million would be added. After the 2018 budget we discovered that this also was not the case. For budget 2019 we have had to get a signed undertaking that €55.4 million would, in fact, be available and that we could finally commence a multiannual budget. It is expected that this money will be there this year.

I believe that this shortchange was led by the Department of Health and one wonders if any of the funding would be available today without the confidence and supply agreement.

The WHO's definition of mental health was referred to. Why is this definition not included in Ireland's equality and employment legislation? Why has the legislation not been updated to include the definition if it is being relied upon by the Department of Health? Where is the Bill to implement the expert group review of the Mental Health Act 2001?

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Only one out of 165 recommendations has been implemented to date. Where is the Bill to give powers to the Mental Health Commission so that it can have powers equal to those of the Health Information and Quality Authority, HIQA, to investigate 24 hour residential community care centres? Why was the role of the director of mental health removed by the HSE this year? Why has the number of referrals seen by child and adolescent mental health services, CAMHS, dropped by more than 2,000, from just over 12,000 to just over 10,000? All of this reflects the fact that mental health simply is not being given a priority in the Department of Health. That was the catalyst to bringing forward this Bill. This Bill mimics and reflects similar legislation in the UK. There is little or no reason for the Government not to be able to enforce this legislation. The Minister of State seemed to imply there would be some sort of difficulty in doing so. It was flagged several months ago with the Minister of State with responsibility for mental health and it is a pity that he is not here to hear the closing speeches. It was flagged with him several months ago so it was no surprise that this Bill was coming forward.

I believe that the lack of parity for mental health is partly due to a deep-seated cultural issue at policy, institutional and organisational levels and at individual levels at the height of the Department of Health. It is seen as something other and something lesser within the Department and it is not given the priority that it deserves. The previous Fianna Fáil Mental Health (Amendment) Bill 2017 that came through the Houses is now on Final Stage in the Seanad, having worked its entire way through the Dáil. I expect it will pass all Stages in the Oireachtas within the next two months. I intend to pursue this Bill with the same drive that that Bill was pursued and I will not let it rest there. I commend this Bill to the House.

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