David Cullinane (Sinn Fein) | Oireachtas source

The Minister of State might clarify that in her response. Ireland's mental health services are in a time of positive transition, as we are moving from the old institutional model of hospital-based care to a new one of holistic, community-based services. This is not just in the case of mental health, but also elderly care and ensuring home care as a first priority. I support the Government in any move it takes towards more holistic, community-based services.

Notwithstanding the country's economic problems, it is crucial that the Government's commitment to reforming mental health does not waver. Important structural and cultural changes are under way, but any further cut to the mental health budget risks undermining the work already done. Mental Health Reform urges the Government to invest in the reform of Ireland's mental health services and support for people experiencing poor mental health. My party has called on the Government to invest in comprehensive, holistic, community-based mental health services, including an additional allocation of €35 million in 2014, as promised in the programme for Government, and an investment in governance structures to support the implementation of A Vision for Change, including resourcing support for the director for mental health. We also want to ensure that there are no further cuts to funding for mental health and related voluntary and community organisations.

It is important to ensure that there is no reduction in the living standards of people with mental health conditions who are in receipt of social welfare payments. This can be done by maintaining rates at their current levels, reducing the individual minimum contribution for rent supplement and restoring the fuel allowance cuts made in 2012. We also call on the Government to restore the incentive for participants in receipt of disability benefits to undertake community employment, CE, schemes by providing a €50 per week payment, as is already provided to participants in JobBridge. The Government should reconsider introducing a requirement for employers to contribute to illness benefit.

We must ensure funding for the mental health actions in the housing strategy for people with disabilities and implementation plan. My party has called for an allocation of €1 million to support the transition of people with low to medium needs from HSE mental health facilities to local authority social housing.

A range of measures can and should be taken by the Government. Deputy Kathleen Lynch is a reforming Minister of State and has done much work in this field, but as with any area of governance, more can and should be done. I commend the Labour Senators on tabling this motion and I thank the Minister of State for listening to our contributions.