Simon Harris (Wicklow, Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

I thank the Deputy for suggesting the establishment of a task force on mental health which I, truthfully, agree with. I would like to meet Members of this House in whatever the appropriate forum is to work out how to advance that, or perhaps through the Business Committee. I met representatives of Mental Health Reform and Jigsaw last week and discussed the Deputy's proposal of a mental health task force with them. I do not want to speak for them, but some of them were of the view that it should be linked to the publication of the new version of A Vision for Change. That document is ready to be published but, from a policy point of view, new policy initiatives are generally brought forward by a new Government after an election. I am happy to engage with parties about when that should be published.

I take seriously the comments of the Mental Health Commission. I am conscious that they were testing long-term residential care facilities, starting with nursing homes, disability facilities and mental health facilities, so I hope and expect that the situation has improved. I will engage with the Mental Health Commission on that.

I am sure I will get a chance to comment further on non-Covid care later but we are looking at how we can safely resume non-Covid care alongside Covid care.

On the issue of funding, as a country, we are going to have to work our way through how we recognise the fact that many organisations which do superb work have seen a reduction in their funding but their services will be more important now than ever.

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