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

I wish to take this opportunity to express the condolences of Members on this side of the House to the family of Ms Frances Devlin from Ballinacurra, Midleton, Cork as well as to her extended family and friends, at this very sad time. I thank everyone who assisted with the search over the past four days and who worked so hard to bring Frances Devlin home. May she rest in peace.

Today is World Mental Health Day and I ask the Tánaiste to bear that in mind when he responds to my question. Of all days, today is the day to tell the truth about mental health. It is time to be honest with the people who depend on our mental health services, with their loved ones who support them and with campaigners and the people at large who want something to be done. These are the same people the Government is trying to fool and gaslight. Since I was elected to the House in 2016, the Government has talked out of both sides of its mouth with regard to mental health. I feel sorry for the two junior Ministers in the Department of Health who, I believe, are genuine but who have been forced to defend the crumbs off they table afforded to them each year, which they must know by now will never fully materialise. Last Tuesday's Budget Statement contains just three mentions of mental health. These include a reference to the reinstatement of capital funding that was earmarked years ago, a meaningless platitude and, worst of all, for the third year running, just pure bull. The Government claims that it is providing €39 million of new money for new services but this cannot be true. Up to this month, €25 million of the allocation announced in 2018 had not been spent, but not for the lack of need. Every year more money has been promised, withheld, re-announced, withheld again and so on. According to the Budget Statement, mental health spending in 2020 will be €1.03 billion. Last week in the Dáil, reiterating the spin of 2018, the Minister of State at the Department of Health, Deputy Jim Daly, said that more than €1 billion would be spent in 2019. If €39 million is added to more than €1 billion, it comes to a lot more than €1.03 billion, unless the numbers are false or there is a fabrication. Yesterday at a meeting with Mental Health Reform, the Minister said that out of the €39 million, there is absolutely nothing new. There is no new money.

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