David Cullinane (Sinn Fein) | Oireachtas source

I welcome the Minister of State on the fifth occasion in the lifetime of this Seanad that we have discussed the issues of mental health and suicide. The two, while linked, are separate in many ways and should be dealt with separately, as Senator Mary Moran suggested. Both are complex because, in the case of suicide, many families have been left without answers where there was no previous history of mental health problems and no suicide note. Such families are left behind wondering what happened. In other cases, young men and women were bullied in school, while young men who are gay find it difficult to come out. There are all sorts of reasons people commit suicide. There is closure, as well as answers, for some families but not for others. It is a complex topic.

Equally, there are complexities in the case of mental health because depression takes different forms. Some suffer from anxiety and panic attacks and there is no one response, treatment or one way of supporting them. I appreciate the fact that it is complex in terms of those who provide support and services.

The figures have been outlined. We should look at the resources allocated to fund mental health services. Despite the commitment of the Minister of State to do so, we have not had the add-on of €15 million to meet the shortfall in 2014 or the €35 million ring-fenced for 2015 in A Vision for Change. I am a supporter of the policies outlined in A Vision for Change and the service provision envisaged within it. A Vision for Change includes many good policies on social inclusion and integration which could be greatly improved. Just 18% of people with a mental illness are in employment. A new report ranks Ireland 14th out of 30 European countries for its commitment to the social integration of people with mental illnesses. The mental health integration index is compiled by the Economist Intelligence Unit, the research and analysis division of the UK-based Economist group, and the first of its kind to rate 30 European countries - the EU 28 and Norway and Switzerland - according to government support for people with mental health issues. The report states integrating into society is important. Overall, Ireland scored above average and was 14th out of 30 countries. Its biggest strength was in the provision of advanced mental health policy in the shape of A Vision for Change. Unfortunately, the slow pace of implementation was seen as one of its many weaknesses. The report on Ireland points out that subsequent reports from the independent monitoring groups set up to oversee implementation of A Vision for Change found that it was slow and inconsistent. Health service upheavals such as the creation of the HSE and funding cutbacks, as a result the Government's austerity programme, were cited in the report as factors that slowed implementation of A Vision for Change. The authors said the reduction in mental health funding from €937 million in 2006 to €750 million in 2013 meant that just 5.3% of overall health spending in Ireland was provided for mental health services. The target is 10% and the figure needs to return to the level recommended in the report - 8%.

There is sympathy in the House and interest in dealing with the issue which has been debated most in the Chamber. Much work has been put into committee reports by Members of the House who worked on the issue outside the House. All of these issues comes back to the allocation of resources. We must ensure the service is properly resourced. Each Minister must fight his or her corner, but one of the issues on which we all agree across the political divide is the need to fund mental health services more efficiently and robustly. I wish the Minister of State well in her endeavours to obtain more funding, but we also consider the criticisms, as well as the advances made. We must take the criticisms at face value and view them as constructive. Unfortunately, the international criticism shows that we are lagging behind in the provision of funding, an aspect that needs to be improved.