Paul McAuliffe (Dublin North West, Fianna Fail) | Oireachtas source

Like the previous speaker, I welcome the Minister of State's leadership in the area of mental health. I know it is something she understands and has championed while making changes within the Department. Looking at the figure of €1.1 billion, one might think it a huge amount but this is a huge and challenging problem.

There is a commitment in the programme for Government to have a director of mental health within the HSE and €1 billion deserves a director in the area. That €1 billion deserves somebody with clinical and administrative responsibilities. Not only would such a person be a champion to join the Minister of State on mental health but he or she would also work for the delivery of services.

For too long we have relied on charities and voluntary groups. We must get back into the business of mental health being really core to the primary care services we deliver. Both the Minister of State, Deputy Butler, and her colleague the Minister of State, Deputy Feighan, in some ways represent the spectrum that exists, taking in everything from wellness to really acute mental health problems. We have lifted the stigma on mental resilience but I am not sure we have lifted the stigma on really acute mental illness. We have a long way to go.

I welcome the €1 million community fund and there will be plenty of groups in my area, including the Finglas Support and Suicide Prevention Network, Finglas wellness groups and groups in Ballymun that will apply for that. There are two areas we must consider. The school inclusion model in education is bringing therapies into our schools and we must think about how we can fit mental health into that. The second area is the ambulance service, which should have 24-hour access to support for mental health. It is provided in the mainstream health service through the ambulance service and it is a key link. If we go to the Dublin Fire Brigade and the National Ambulance Service, they could play a role as a bridge in the accessing of mental health services. I thank the Minister of State for the work she has done.

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