Fidelma Healy Eames (Fine Gael)

The national recovery plan is short on specifics in the area of health. Although it claims to protect front-line services, it suggests more staff cuts in the planned services sector. We learned today that 10% of our youth are failing to avail of mental health services in the HSE west and HSE south regions, which is very serious. A young person requiring mental health services is in trouble. Perhaps the Minister of State, Deputy Mansergh, will say if there will be a cut in mental health funding. The plan contains no specifics on health. It does not guide us. The plan merely sets out the Vote in this area. This is an area that should not be touched.

There is concern that funding for the community addiction clinic at Merlin Park University Hospital in Galway will be cut. The clinic has lost one addiction counsellor owing to retirement and is now getting referrals from general practitioners for alcohol counselling and treatment, which are simply being stamped and put in a pile. It will take six to nine months to deal with these referrals. What is the benefit in not replacing one addiction counsellor on the front line? These patients will end up in our emergency rooms, costing the State much more than the amount saved in not employing one addiction counsellor.