Results 15,241-15,260 of 15,638 for speaker:Helen McEntee

Other Questions: Mental Health Services Report (2 Jun 2016)

Helen McEntee: I thank the Deputy for his question, which relates to the review of A Vision for Change which is currently being undertaken. In January 2006, the Government adopted the report of the expert group on mental health policy, A Vision for Change, as the basis for the future development of mental health services in Ireland. It advocated, first, a holistic view of mental illness and an integrated...

Other Questions: Mental Health Services Report (2 Jun 2016)

Helen McEntee: To agree with the Deputy, when this document was published in 2006 we possibly did not foresee the financial circumstances in which we would find ourselves in the following years. However, in the last number of years the implementation of A Vision for Change has been given greater priority, with the Government providing an additional €160 million in ring-fenced funding for mental...

Other Questions: Mental Health Services Report (2 Jun 2016)

Helen McEntee: It would be my intention that the report will be brought before the committee so it could be discussed not just by ourselves and by Deputies but also, as Deputy O'Reilly said, by those who have an interest in it, such as the service users, the providers and the professionals themselves.

Other Questions: Mental Health Services Report (2 Jun 2016)

Helen McEntee: The review of A Vision for Change will allow the different individuals to have an input to this. We will need to look at best practice and at international norms, which will include asking those who are in the field and within the service. The Deputy asked if this is a priority, and it most certainly is. The fact is we have committed to increase spending on mental health year upon year,...

Other Questions: Mental Health Policy (2 Jun 2016)

Helen McEntee: I thank Deputy Stanley for putting forward this question with regard to mental health promotion and policy and how it will be implemented in schools. I presume Deputy Louise O'Reilly will respond in his stead. Back in 2013, the Department of Education and Skills, the HSE, and the Department of Healthjointly developed Well-Being in Post Primary Schools Guidelines for Mental Health Promotion...

Other Questions: Mental Health Policy (2 Jun 2016)

Helen McEntee: Unfortunately, I cannot give the Deputy a set timeline for that. I spoke to the Minister for Education and Skills only yesterday on this issue. Essentially, what it means is that over a three year period up to the junior certificate, students will have to partake in 400 hours of wellness classes across a variety of different sections. With regard to school resilience and Pieta House, at...

Other Questions: Mental Health Policy (2 Jun 2016)

Helen McEntee: Unfortunately, as this is specifically within the Department of Education and Skills, I cannot give that information to the Deputy. However, I will give her a commitment that I will speak to the Minister of Education and Skills. As far as I am concerned, it is at an advanced stage. We should see it being implemented soon. With regard to the specific individuals on the taskforce outside...

Ceisteanna - Questions - Priority Questions: Mental Health Services Funding (2 Jun 2016)

Helen McEntee: I thank the Deputy for his question and look forward to working with him in his capacity as spokesperson on mental health. As we all know, there has been a debate ongoing for a number of weeks on the key priorities of the Government in the area of mental health. The Deputy and many others have contributed to it. The Deputy put forward his own priorities and wishes and outlined what he...

Ceisteanna - Questions - Priority Questions: Mental Health Services Funding (2 Jun 2016)

Helen McEntee: Some €115 million in additional funding for mental health services was made available at a time when other budgets across the spectrum were cut. That increase was made by the previous Government so there is no reason to fear no commitment to increasing funding on the part of the current Government. We have committed to an increase year upon year. Obviously, we would like to see the...

Ceisteanna - Questions - Priority Questions: Mental Health Services Funding (2 Jun 2016)

Helen McEntee: The full €35 million that was ring-fenced for this year will go into the base for next year. The budget will have to account for the fact that we are examining cross-departmental options. As such, I intend to have each Department and Minister identify a specific element of their remit through which they can contribute to mental health services because the issue is not confined to the...

Ceisteanna - Questions - Priority Questions: Care of the Elderly Provision (2 Jun 2016)

Helen McEntee: I thank the Deputy for his question. As the Minister of State with responsibility for older people, I am sure that every Deputy's priority is to ensure that people live active, healthy, happy and fit lives in their communities as they get older and that they participate in their communities for as long as possible. Where people need support, we must be able to provide it. The Government is...

Ceisteanna - Questions - Priority Questions: Care of the Elderly Provision (2 Jun 2016)

Helen McEntee: We will have plenty of opportunity to discuss everything that Deputy Kelleher has prepared. In the new era of cross-party consensus, we are all on the same page, in that we want to ensure that older people and those who deserve support at home get it. We are trying to deal with a number of issues. For example, delayed discharges is a major one. In order to move people on from emergency...

Ceisteanna - Questions - Priority Questions: Care of the Elderly Provision (2 Jun 2016)

Helen McEntee: Yesterday, the House debated our intention to effect a ten-year plan for the health system. For a long time, we have been playing catch-up and going from year to year. As Deputy Kelleher rightly pointed out, of most importance is preventing people from reaching the stage at which they need to attend emergency departments at two, three or four times the cost to the State of providing a...

Written Answers — Department of Health: Mental Health Services Provision (2 Jun 2016)

Helen McEntee: The HSE aims for the placement of children in age appropriate mental health settings as much as possible. A 95% target of appropriate placement in Child and Adolescent Mental Health Units is indicated in the National Service Plan 2016. This allows for some operational flexibility surrounding emergency placements in Adult Units. Examples of factors that influence such admissions include...

Written Answers — Department of Health: Mental Health Services Provision (2 Jun 2016)

Helen McEntee: The current development of Crisis Houses, and Crisis Intervention Teams, form part of a spectrum of service supports for individuals with a mental illness presenting in crisis. One of the objectives of the HSE Mental Health Division has been to improve the response of mental health services for individuals in such circumstances. This includes accommodation and treatment for an individual in...

Written Answers — Department of Health: Mental Health Policy (2 Jun 2016)

Helen McEntee: In January 2006, the Government adopted the Report of the Expert Group on Mental Health Policy 'A Vision for Change' as the basis for the future development of mental health services in Ireland. It advocated: - A holistic view of mental illness and an integrated multidisciplinary approach to addressing the biological, psychological and social factors that contribute to mental health...

Written Answers — Department of Health: Mental Health Policy (2 Jun 2016)

Helen McEntee: The Programme for Partnership Government confirms this Government’s commitment to further develop and improve our mental health services in line with existing policy as set out in A Vision for Change. We recognise the importance of fully implementing this long-standing policy in a manner which recognises both geographic accessibility and which will allow primary care teams in...

Written Answers — Department of Health: Mental Health Services Funding (2 Jun 2016)

Helen McEntee: The last Government provided additional ring-fenced mental health funding of €160 million over 2012 to 2016 inclusive. In 2015, the National Service Plan Budget for mental health was €791 million and the outturn was €785 million. The €826 million budget for mental health in the 2016 National Service Plan therefore represents an increase of €41 million or...

Written Answers — Department of Health: Mental Health Services Provision (2 Jun 2016)

Helen McEntee: Crisis houses are designed for those who are in need of acute intervention but who do not require hospital care. A key objective is the provision of a safer, less stigmatising alternative to hospital care that provides refuge and support in a more communal, family-like environment. The HSE Operational Plan for Mental Health 2016 highlights the need to expand services for those who are...

Written Answers — Department of Health: National Dementia Strategy Implementation (2 Jun 2016)

Helen McEntee: As this is a service matter it has been referred to the Health Service Executive for direct reply. If you have not received a reply from the HSE within 15 working days please contact my Private Office and they will follow up the matter with them.