Frank Feighan (Fine Gael)

Will the Acting Leader ask the Minister for Health and Children to come to the House to debate the report of the independent watchdog on the mental health sector, which does not make for good reading? The report stated that despite Government pledges to improve community-based treatment, the inspectors found that in most parts of the country there was a lack of staff, poor management and resource shortages. Also, the necessary staff were in place to provide multidisciplinary procedures in just two of the 32 catchment areas.

In my area, there was a resistance by HSE management to provide funding for a mental health centre, which would have provided value for money. The HSE has much to answer for. It seems to treat mental health as the poor relation of the health services. Senator Henry has on many occasions in this House highlighted that the mental health sector has not got the resources it needed. We need to examine this area more carefully.

The report stated there is no coherent plan for the next five years. The ad hoc nature of the provision of mental health services by the Government, and successive Governments in the past 25 years, needs to be addressed. If one measure is needed, it is the introduction of a five-year plan to address the serious deficiencies in mental health services.