Averil Power (Fianna Fail) | Oireachtas source

I move amendment No. 4:

In page 4, lines 41 and 42, to delete all words from and including ?priorities? in line 41 down to and including ?service? in line 42 and substitute the following:?priorities in accordance with which the Executive shall prepare its service?.

The intention behind section 6 is to strengthen the accountability of the HSE to its service delivery. It provides for the HSE to "have regard" to priorities set by the Minister in its annual service plan and could enable the Minister to set a priority to provide the kind of community-based mental health care services that we need. Undoubtedly, it is a step in the right direction to provide that the Minister can indicate his priorities and expect the HSE to "have regard" to them. I am concerned that the phraseology of "have regard" is too weak. Hence, we tabled an amendment to strengthen the provision by saying that the annual service plan must be prepared "in accordance with" the priorities set by the Minister. Thus, we have inserted an automatic requirement that the priorities set by the Minister are adhered to.

Again, the amendment stems from the point of view that mental health services have traditionally been the poor relation in the health service. When the HSE operates throughout the year there is panic as to whether there is enough money for services such as accident and emergency and other services. Often mental health services are the first in line to have funding cut. It is important that the Minister takes responsibility for saying that mental health services should be given priority. The measure should evolve into an automatic requirement being placed on the HSE to act "in accordance with" that priority. It would ensure that money is safely ring-fenced for mental health services. It is not simply that the HSE must "have regard" to it which appears to be quite weak language.