Conor Sheehan (Limerick City, Labour)

I wish to talk about the CAST pilot project in Limerick, which is ten months operational. Much credit goes to the Minister of State, Deputy Butler, for this. To date, this project has recorded 80 diversions from Mental Health Act detentions as well as incidents of criminal diversion for minor offences. It ensures that people get the right care at the right time in the community. The CAST support forum has 14 partner agencies working together on a periodic basis to help frequent users of unscheduled emergency services. When will the internal and external evaluation of this project be conducted? Will the Minister of State confirm, subject to the evaluation confirming what we have been told on the ground by An Garda Síochána and the HSE, that this pilot will be continued and mainstreamed in Limerick and, hopefully, rolled out nationwide? It is a very good initiative but it needs additional resources and its own ring-fenced budget.

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